I 

I 




ALI^UIFISO bTuOD VERY STILL LOOKING UP INTO THE SKY. 



JOYFUL STAR: 

INDIAN STORIES FOR 
CAMP FIRE GIRLS 



BY 

EMELYN NEWCOMB PARTRIDGE 

n 

Author of "Glooscap, the Great Chief," "Story Telling 
in School and Home," etc. 



ILLUSTRATED 



new )£orfc 
STURGIS & WALTON 
COMPANY 
1915 



Copyright, 1915 
Br STURGIS & WALTON COMPANY 



Set up and electrotyped. Published October. 1915 



VA!L- BALLOU COMPANY 
■INSHAMTON AND NEW YORK 



DEC 13 1915 



PREFACE 



In this collection of legends, my aim is to 
present to the reader a picture of the life and 
the ideals of the Indian maiden and mother as 
they are illustrated in the legends, folk-tales, 
and a few historical accounts from various 
tribes and nations of Indians in North and 
South America. 

The making of such a collection has proven a 
much more difficult piece of work than I had 
anticipated; but it has been most interesting 
and profitable. This work has opened wide a 
new world to me; it has filled me with respect 
and admiration for the Indian woman. 

It seems that the Indian woman is wise, is 
brave, and withal is gentle, modest and affection- 
ate: she is a devoted wife, living her life of 
labour with quiet cheerfulness : she is a tender 
mother, training her children with the most pre- 
cise care, infusing into the minds of her young 
sons the ambition to become the bravest war- 
riors, or the most skilled hunters, and educating 
her little daughters, from their very babyhood, 
to fill their place in the tribal life with the great- 
est efficiency. 

iii 



iv 



PREFACE 



From almost every phase of the Indian 
woman's life and experience, her white sister 
may learn lessons of inestimable value. 

With this thought, I am sending out these 
legends for the use of Camp Fire Girls and 
for all maidens who would turn aside for a 
time from the noisy highway, and follow the 
quiet trails through the forest, where once 
walked the Indian maiden with reverent love 
for the smallest flower at her feet, for it, too, 
partook of the nature of the Great Spirit, who 
cared for his children of the forest. 

In my work, I have drawn freely upon Gov- 
ernment reports, and research carried on un- 
der the auspices of the Carnegie Institute, 
upon Folk-Lore Journals, American Anti- 
quarian Society Proceedings, Bulletins, etc., 
and many collections of legends. Among the 
writers who have been of especial assistance 
to me may be mentioned Bancroft, Brinton, 
Chamberlain, Cushing, Hale, Dorsey, Morgan, 
Powell, and Powers. 

To my husband — for his many helpful sug- 
gestions from the time when the thought of the 
book first occurred to me — I would acknowledge 
my indebtedness : 

To Mr. W. W. Canfleld— for his kind permis- 
sion to make use of his Legends of the Iroquois, 
from which most interesting work I have re- 



PEEFACE 



v 



told two legends, — I would render my thanks: 
To Dr. Louis N. Wilson of the Clark Uni- 
versity Library and his assistants, to Mr. 
Kobert K. Shaw of the Worcester Free Public 
Library and his assistants, to Mr. Clarence S. 
Brigham of the American Antiquarian Society 
Library and his assistants, I desire to express 
my gratitude for their encouragement, and for 
their unbounded willingness to assist me in my 
work by loaning me books. 

There is one, Dr. Alexander F. Chamberlain, 
who helped me by his kind advice and interest 
when I seriously undertook this work, over two 
years ago. His lectures have been a source of 
stimulation to me. He unstintingly and en- 
thusiastically gave of his seemingly limitless 
knowledge of all that pertained to the life and 
thought of the Indian. I had hoped that he 
would write the introduction to this book, but 
he has been called by the Great Spirit to the 
Land of Souls, to the Island of the Blessed. 

Emelyn Newcomb Partridge. 

Worcester, Massachusetts, 
August 31, 1915. 



"To the men, women and children of the Red Race of Amer- 
ica, past and present, known and unknown, who, by living or 
by dying, have contributed to the health, happiness, wealth, 
wisdom, and peace of the world, this brief record of their deeds 
is dedicated by one who has sought to know them, and, in 
seeking, learned to love them." (Quoted from Contributions 
of the American Indian to Civilization by the late Professor 
Alexander F. Chamberlain in the Proceedings of the Amer- 
ican Antiquarian Society, 1903-1904.) 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Aliquipiso: A Story of Greater Love 

An Oneida Legend 3 

How the Treaty of Peace was Made 

A Sioux Legend 8 

The Devoted Daughter 

A True Story of the Shawnees . 17 
Sacajawea the Bird-Woman 

A Story of Lewis and Clark's Ex- 
pedition 20 

An Algonquin Love Song . . 22 

How Lawiswis was Rescued by the White Roses 

An Oregon Myth 24 

The Will-o'-the-wisp 

A Legend of the Pacific Northwest 28 

Winona the Sioux Maiden 35 

The Forest Maiden 

A Micmac Legend ........ 41 

A Chippeway Love Song 47 

The Princess and the Shepherd 

A Peruvian Fairy Tale .... 48 
The Two Rocks in Passamaquoddy Bay 

A Passamaquoddy Legend ... 56 

The Bird Bride 

A Peruvian Legend 60 

The Maiden of Matsaki 

A Zufii Story .63 

The Love of Cusi-Coyllur — Joyful Star 

A Peruvian Drama-Legend ... 78 

How Genetaska Deserted Her Trust 

An Iroquois Legend 84 



CONTENTS 

The Rescue of Arselik 

An Algonquin Tale 89 

A Song of the Taensa 94 

How the First Battle Came to Be Fought 

A Legend of the Wintun of Sacra- 
mento Valley 95 

Miss Pound-the- stones 

A Maya Legend . . . . . .98 

The Maiden with the Beautiful Face and the Evil 
Heart 

An Algonquin Tale 100 

Sahan the Orphan 

A Tlingit Legend 106 

How Wakontas Tested the Maidens 

An Ojibway Legend . . . . .111 
The Pride of Peeta Kway 

An Iroquois Legend 116 

The Old Woman and the Pecans 

A Tale from the Caddo .... 121 

A Maiden's Curiosity 

A Legend from the Western Coast 124 

The Triumph of the East Wind's Daughter ■■■> 



A Tlingit Legend ....... 129 

OOCHIGEASKW THE LITTLE SCARRED GlRL 

A Micmac Legend ..... 132 

The Turkey Girl 

A Zuni Legend 140 

Nipon the Summer Maiden 



An Algonquin Legend . . . .145 
The Punishment of Tis-se-yak 

A Legend of the Yosemite Valley 154 

The Maiden Who was Blessed by the Buffalo and 
the Corn 

An Arikara Tradition .... 157 
The Trustworthy One 

A Tradition of the Caddo . . .160 



CONTENTS 



The Maiden and the Grizzly Bear 

A Ponka Legend 163 

The Stoey of Nish-Fang 

A Hupa Tale 170 

The Ogeess and the Mother 

A Legend of Vancouver Island . .174 

KOEOBONA THE STRONG OF HEAET 

A Guiana Legend 178 

The Seceet of Dowanhotaninwin 

A Sioux Legend 185 

The Lament of an Ieoquois Motheb Ovee the Body 

of Hee Son 190 

Notes 192 

Glossaey of Wobds 197 



JOYFUL STAR: 
AND OTHER INDIAN LEGENDS FOR CAMP 
FIRE GIRLS 



JOYFUL STAR: 

AND OTHER INDIAN LEGENDS FOE 
CAMP FIEE GIRLS 

ALIQUIPISO: A STORY OF GREATER LOYE 

An Oneida Legend re-told from Canfield's Legends of the 
Iroquois. 

ONCE there lived a maiden named Aliquip- 
iso. She was of the Oneida nation. This 
was in the days long before the Five Nations 
had banded themselves together; before 
Hiawatha had named the Oneidas the second 
nation in the confederacy, because they could 
give wise counsel. So, in the days when Ali- 
quipiso lived, the Oneidas stood alone. There 
was no friendly tribe near to render assistance 
when they were attacked by enemies. 

Aliquipiso, for twelve winters, had seen the 
earth wrapped in snow, when the great cliffs 
and boulders above the village were white and 
still; and the twelfth spring filled with songs 
of birds and fragrance of flowers had come to 
her. 

In this alluring Springtime the village of the 
Oneidas was at peace. But one day their quiet 

3 



4 



JOYFUL STAR 



and happiness was wrested from them. A 
band of savage Indians from the north fell 
upon them; their warriors were outnumbered 
by the enemy; there were no friendly neigh- 
bours to help; they were surrounded by the 
savages except for the great cliffs behind them. 

When the wise men and the warriors saw 
that they could no longer keep the cruel enemy 
from their village, they turned to the great 
cliffs for refuge. In the dark night they stole 
from their village, not a soul — not a weak old 
man nor a helpless babe was left behind. So 
secret was their path to safety, that the trail 
could not be discovered, although the savages 
hunted for it many days. 

High above the village the Oneidas were 
hidden, hoping that the enemy would return 
to the north. The days passed; their small 
supply of food was gone and hunger was pres- 
ent with them. Then it was, that the Great 
Spirit spoke to Aliquipiso. 

Aliquipiso did not see the Great Spirit. She 
was asleep; but in her heart she heard the 
words. When she awoke, she stood very still 
looking up to the sky. The Great Spirit had 
told her — little Aliquipiso — how she might save 
her people. Then she went to the place of 
the council, — for the wise men and the warriors 
had gathered together to consider a way of 
escape. Aliquipiso stood before them. 



A STORY OF GREATER LOVE 



5 



4 4 Elder brothers, the Great Spirit has spoken 
to me," she said, not waiting to be called upon 
to speak. They looked silently at the earnest 
face of the child. 

* 4 Speak, my daughter,' ' the chief said, at 
last breaking the silence. 

6 4 In my sleep under the trees, I heard the 
words in my heart. The Great Spirit told me 
that I must save my people. I shall wander 
near our village as if lost, and when they seize 
me and demand to know your hiding place, I 
will not tell them — not until they torture me 
more cruelly still. Then, at last, as if forced 
by them, I will promise to lead them to you. 
And this is what the Great Spirit has told me 
to do. I am to lead them along the narrow way 
on the cliffs below, and when we have reached 
the place high over the valley, I will give you 
a signal. Be prepared to hurl rocks and 
boulders upon the savages. So shall your 
enemies be utterly destroyed, and you — my 
elder brothers, and all my people shall be saved. 
These are the words of the Great Spirit that 
came to me while I was sleeping under the 
trees. I have spoken.' ' 

All were silent, and Aliquipiso stood motion- 
less before them, her eyes fixed upon them. 

4 4 My daughter," the old chief at last said, 
4 4 think again before you go out from among us, 
for you will never return to us." 



6 



JOYFUL STAR 



Aliquipiso raised her eyes in surprise. 
"But, my father/ ' she replied, "my people 
shall be saved. This the Great Spirit has told 
me." 

So the wise men and the warriors said that 
she might go. And all that day she went about 
among her people, and they called her the 
princess of all the nation and the beloved, the 
chosen one of the Great Spirit. In the dark- 
ness of the night, Aliquipiso, full of courage, 
left them. 

The next morning the savages found her wan- 
dering near the village. "Ah," they said, 
"she is lost. We will take her back to the vil- 
lage and find from her where her people are." 

All things befell her just as the little maiden 
had foretold. And when it seemed that she 
could no longer resist their torture, she said 
that she would lead them to her people 's hiding 
place. 

When darkness fell again, the child, although 
faint from suffering and stumbling from weari- 
ness and pain, bravely led out the warriors, all 
eager to slay those in hiding. Close beside her 
were savages ready to strike her to the ground 
at the slightest suggestion of betrayal. She 
led them through narrow paths and hidden 
trails until, at last, they reached a place on the 
cliff high over the valley. The child stood as 
if about to roll aside a boulder and enter a cave. 



A STORY OF GREATER LOVE 7 



The savages gathered around her, and then, 
she gave a shrill scream — her death cry, for at 
that instant those about her struck her to the 
earth. It was Aliquipiso's death cry, but it 
was the death cry to those about her also. For 
as she fell, there came, hurled from above, giant 
rocks and boulders, crushing the savages and 
carrying their bodies over into the valley be- 
low. 

Then the Oneidas returned to their village, 
and when some of them went to the place where 
their brave little maiden Aliquipiso fell, they 
found in place of her body the dainty woodbine 
and the honeysuckle. The Great Spirit had 
changed her hair into the woodbine, and her 
child-body into the honeysuckle, which the 
Oneidas named "the blood of brave women," 
that they might ever be reminded of the child life 
sacrificed for them. 



HOW THE TREATY OF PEACE WAS MADE 



A Sioux Legend, re-told from Eastman's Old Indian Days. 

IT is told by our fathers, that in the long 
ago there happened once to be an en- 
campment of the Sioux near the hunting 
grounds of their ancient enemy, the Crows. 
So our people were ever on the watch for a 
sudden attack from them. At night, they 
picketed their ponies within the circle of 
tepees, for safety, giving each horse a bundle 
of grass which had been gathered by the youths 
and maidens at sunset. 

One evening, when Blue Sky, the Chief's 
beautiful daughter, was gathering the bundle 
of grass for her pony, a young brave ap- 
proached her. 

It was an ancient custom for a warrior to 
win the war-bonnet before seeking a maiden 
in marriage, and Matsoka, the young brave, 
greatly desired to do this. But Blue Sky, as 
she bent forward to gather the green grass, 
looked so alluring, that Matsoka 's determina- 
tion grew weak, and he said to her timidly: 

"I had hoped to win the war-bonnet, Blue 
Sky, before approaching thee; but my desire 
for thee is so great, that I yield.' ' 

8 



HOW TREATY OF PEACE WAS MADE 9 



The warrior paused, hoping to receive at 
least an encouraging glance from the maiden, 
but such was not the fashion among our maid- 
ens. And Blue Sky looked steadily away from 
the youth. 

"Sometimes, Blue Sky," he continued, 
"when I am alone on the prairie, there comes 
to me the longing to be with thee alone, follow- 
ing the trail over the great prairie of life." 

Still the maiden made no sign of having 
heard him, and Matsoka rode slowly away from 
her, wondering what her thoughts might be. 
Soon the two were with the others, gathered to- 
gether enjoying their evening meal, with no 
outward token that there had been any serious 
thought between them. 

The entire encampment had given way to 
light-hearted pleasure. Songs and laughter 
and stories were mingled with the sound of the 
munching of the ponies from the inner circle; 
about them the flames from the great circle of 
fires sent a cheerful glow; and high over them 
lay the clear, quiet sky. 

Suddenly, another sound mingled with the 
laughter ! The rushing of galloping ponies and 
the shrill war-cries of the Crow warriors as 
they rushed upon the surprised Sioux. But 
the Indian warrior is never really unprepared. 
Always has he his weapons beside him. So the 
Sioux bravely met the attack, cheered on by 



10 



JOYFUL STAR 



the war-cries of their wives and mothers and 
the old men and even the little children. These 
Sioux women would show their enemies that 
they could not be cowed by any such surprise ! 
And so throughout the long night, the warfare 
continued, and when the faint, grey light of 
the morning appeared, there were scattered 
upon the ground the bodies of many brave 
Sioux warriors. And the people said: 

4 ' They died the death they desired. The 
death of brave warriors defending their own. 
We do not mourn for them." 

After the Sioux had buried the dead, in dec- 
orated grave lodges as became honoured war- 
riors, they moved their encampment farther up 
the valley among the hills. And here they built 
a great council tepee, and the people met to give 
each warrior the credit belonging to him in re- 
pelling the attack of the Crows, for this was an 
ancient, honoured observance. 

The great circle of people awaited in silence 
the voice of their leader, who was one of the 
old men. At length the silence was broken, 
and he addressed them. 

"The first honour belongs to Brave Hawk, 
who fell in battle. He bravely charged the 
Crows. He struck their chief from his horse. 
He caused them to return to their own hunt- 
ing grounds." 



ROW TREATY OF PEACE WAS MADE 11 



"It is true," the warriors answered. And! 
then the circle parted, and in the deep silence 
that followed, there came forward Blue Sky 
leading her brother Black Hawk's horse to re- 
ceive the honours which would have been con- 
ferred upon Black Hawk had he been living. 
After this had been done, Blue Sky remained 
within the circle beside the orphan steed. Again 
the leader spoke : 

' ' The second honour belongs to Matsoka, the 
White Bear." And before the old man could 
say more, Eed Owl interrupted: 

' i No ! It is to me they belong, I touched the 
chief's body second to Black Hawk." 

"My brother," the old man answered, "the 
warriors who witnessed this thing give the hon- 
ours to Matsoka." 

Eed Owl wrapped his blanket about him and 
sullenly went to his own tepee. He was the 
rival of Matsoka, both for warlike honours and 
for the love of Blue Sky. And Blue Sky had 
witnessed his humiliation! She had been 
within the circle. Eed Owl, burning with in- 
dignation, could not submit quietly to the de- 
cision of the warriors, so he went out alone into 
the hills to fast and pray. He dwelt alone with 
the Great Mystery through the whole night, 
and through the long day until the sun was low 
in the west, then with a quiet mind, he turned 



12 



JOYFUL STAB 



toward the encampment, — only to come unex- 
pectedly upon Matsoka and Blue Sky standing 
together ! 

It was the first time they had met since they 
had gathered the grass bundles together, and 
now, at last Blue Sky had promised Matsoka 
to think the matter over. Even this faint en- 
couragement made Matsoka's heart light with 
joy, and when, that night, the council-drum 
summoned the warriors to go on the warpath 
against the Crows, the sound brought happi- 
ness to Matsoka ; for he would avenge the death 
of his beloved's brother. But to Blue Sky, the 
sound of the council-drum brought an untold 
fear : for she loved Matsoka. 

In a few days the band of Sioux warriors 
were attacking a great encampment of the 
Crows, in a desperate struggle. In the end, 
the Sioux were forced to retreat, with the 
Crows in pursuit. 

Eed Owl and Matsoka had led the attack, and 
together they defended their warriors from the 
pursuing Crows. Then it happened that Mat- 
soka and a Crow warrior fought together, and 
suddenly Matsoka found himself with a broken 
spear, his bow and arrows gone. And when he 
would have fled, some one, from behind him, 
struck his horse with an arrow, and the brave 
steed fell dead. Matsoka, alone, for Bed Owl 
was speeding into safety — faced the enemy, and 



HOW TREATY OF PEACE WAS MADE 13 



with head erect, proudly walked toward them. 
In an instant he was surrounded by the Crows. 

When Eed Owl reached the band of Sioux, he 
suddenly drew an arrow and shot his own horse, 
and then taking his knife he pierced himself to 
the heart. 

"Ah, alas!" they said. "Eed Owl was so 
brave a warrior that he could not bear our dis- 
grace. ' ' 

But when Blue Sky heard of the fate of 
Matsoka, she believed in her heart that he was 
not dead. "They may be saving him for tor- 
ture. Anyway, I will go to the Crow encamp- 
ment and try to rescue him. ' ' 

So that night, Blue Sky set out from the en- 
campment as if riding her pony to water. Her 
faithful dog followed her, as if he understood 
her intentions. She rode slowly until beyond 
the sight of her people, then dismounting, she 
took from a hiding-place provisions, and moc- 
casins and her sewing materials. These she 
packed upon her pony, and then rode away 
through the night. 

Blue Sky knew that there were dangers in 
the darkness; many more for a woman than 
for a man to encounter. Besides the danger of 
meeting stray groups of Indians, there were 
wild animals and especially buffalos to jeopar- 
dise her safety. These lingered close beside her 



14 



JOYFUL STAR 



trail at times, as if they knew that an unpro- 
tected woman rode near. But no harm came to 
Blue Sky, and when the morning light broke 
upon her, she dismounted and picketed her 
pony. Later in the afternoon, when she awoke 
from a sound sleep, Blue Sky determined to 
first discover the battlefield where they said 
that Matsoka had fallen. 

Blue Sky must travel very cautiously now, 
for there might be a Crow warrior lurking near! 
So keeping a careful lookout, she advanced un- 
til at last she reached the battlefield where, 
scattered about her, were her own people, the 
fallen warriors of the Sioux. Then she saw the 
white horse of Matsoka. She went nearer and 
dismounted. She drew forth the arrow. 

"Ah, alas!" Blue Sky mourned. "That is 
no Crow arrow ! That is the arrow of a Sioux! 
This is Bed Owl's treachery; but he has paid 
for it. He has taken his own life. 

Blue Sky's plans were quickly made. She 
was now almost fully convinced that Matsoka 
had been reserved for torture. She would res- 
cue him. She concealed herself until night had 
fallen, then entered the Crow encampment 
dressed as nearly like a Crow woman as she 
could. She carried a bundle, as if she held a 
baby. She walked through the encampment in 
the dim light, until she reached the council 
lodge. It was filled with people. Blue Sky 



HOW TREATY OF PEACE WAS MADE 15 



drew nearer and looked about her. Beside the 
chief, dressed in Crow holiday garb, sat Mat- 
soka, as if he were a guest of honour. What 
could it mean? 

The great relief and joy that swept through 
Blue Sky made her forget her own peril. And 
she thoughtlessly stepped nearer, where the 
light fell full upon her. Then she was startled 
by the sudden cry: 

"A spy is in our midst! A Sioux! A 
Sioux ! ' ' And she found herself surrounded by 
strange, angry warriors. 

But the chief, seeing her dauntless courage 
as she faced them, with head erect, said to her : 

4 ' Young and pretty daughter of the Sioux, 
what brings thee hither V 9 

"Thy brave warriors have slain my brother," 
Blue Sky answered, ' i and they have taken pris- 
oner my lover. It is for his sake that I have 
risked my life and honour. 9 9 

"Ah! The Sioux have brave women," the 
chief said. "Thou art the bravest woman I 
have ever seen. Know then, that thy lover was 
betrayed into our hands by one of his own peo- 
ple. Thy lover is brave, — but it was not his 
bravery that saved him. No ! But because he 
so resembled my son who fell in battle, I have 
adopted him. He is now my son. But, brave 
maiden of the Sioux, thou shalt have my adopted 
son for thy husband." 



16 



JOYFUL STAR 



So Bine Sky remained with the Crows, and 
married Matsoka, and as time went on, the old 
chief looked with snch favour npon these chil- 
dren of their enemy, the Sionx, that there came 
into his heart the wish that there might be peace 
between the two people. 

Then, it happened, that the chief summoned 
his tribe to the council lodge, and there he made 
known his desires. And all the people an- 
swered : 

"It is well. It is well.' > 

Soon after this meeting, one day, Matsoka 
and Blue Sky, accompanied by many Crow war- 
riors, and bearing rich gifts, returned to their 
people. And a treaty of peace was made be- 
tween the two nations, which was kept for many 
moons and for many snows. 

And it was thus that the treaty of peace was 
made. 



THE DEVOTED DAUGHTER 



A TRUE STORY OF A SHAWNEE MAIDEN" 



Re-told from Hunter's Memoirs. 



SHAWNEE hunter, accompanied by his 



post of the whites to dispose of his pelts, veni- 
son, hams, and other articles of traffic. After 
the business had been concluded, the man and 
woman — both of whom had acquired a love for 
' 'fire-water' ' through the influence of the 
whites — began to indulge freely in liquor. 
Soon the Indian became maddened by the whis- 
key, and attacked his wife. 

The woman, who was not in such a condition 
of inebriety as her husband, was able to escape 
from him and seek refuge in another place of 
entertainment. Here there were gathered a 
group of idle, young fellows, who urged more 
whiskey upon the squaw to induce her to give 
the war-whoop, or songs, or dances. 

The maiden had followed her mother into 
this place to protect her as best she could. She 
could not be persuaded to touch the liquor, but 
clung obstinately to her mother. When, at 
last, the white people becoming disgusted with 
the drunken squaw turned her out into the 




daughter, went to a trading 



17 



18 



JOYFUL STAR 



night, the daughter guiding her steps, sought 
a place of shelter for her poor, unfortunate 
mother. Out under the cliffs, three miles from 
the place of evil, the maiden, at length, found a 
spot where her mother might sleep protected 
from the wind and rain. 

Now, the mother had charge of the horse, and 
it had wandered away. The maiden knew that 
if the horse could not be found, her father, in 
his condition of drunken fury, might kill her 
mother. 

"I must seek the horse,' 9 she determined. 
So setting out in the midst of the cold, blinding 
rain and sleet, the Shawnee maiden wandered 
about in the darkness hour after hour, calling 
the horse by name. At daybreak, she chanced 
to find him and led him to her father in the 
village several miles away. Cold and weary, 
she returned to her mother deep in a drunken 
sleep. With a devotion, which touched the 
hearts of the white people who witnessed it, she 
helped her mother on her journey home. 

But the fatigue of the long walk home, the 
exposure of the night out in the sleet and rain, 
brought on a violent cold which was followed 
by tuberculosis, and in a year the brave Shaw- 
nee maiden was dead. Her only regret at 
dying was that caused by the helplessness of 
her parents who had become so intemperate. 



THE DEVOTED DAUGHTER 19 



" White man want poison poor Indian,' ' she 
said. " Whiskey kill poor Peggy. Peggy's 
poor daddy and mammy have no one help 'em 
when Peggy dead." 



SACAJAWEA THE BIRD-WOMAN 



WHEN Lewis and Clark made their ex- 
pedition to the Pacific coast in 1804- 
5-6, there accompanied them Sacajawea, an 
Indian woman, whose husband acted as their 
interpreter. Sacajawea proved herself so 
superior to her half-breed husband, and so ex- 
cellent a woman in every way, that constant 
references are made to her throughout the 
journal kept by those on the expedition. 

Sacajawea belonged to the Snake tribe, but 
had been taken a prisoner in war when a child. 
She was sold as a slave to Charbonneau (the 
interpreter), who brought her up and after- 
wards married her. Lewis and Clark refer to 
her as one ' 6 who contributed a full man's share 
to the success of the expedition, besides taking 
care of her baby." And Sacajawea proved 
herself a mother worthy of praise. The baby 
boy was born in February, 1805, at Fort Man- 
dan. 4 4 The little volunteer recruit joined the 
expedition and was brought safe back from the 
Pacific coast by one of the best of mothers." 

On one occasion a squall struck a canoe con- 
taining their instruments and papers. While 

20 




Sacajawea and Her Child. 
Statue in the park in Portland, Oregon. 



SACAJAWEA THE BIRD-WOMAN 21 



Charbonneau, forgetful of the rudder of which 
he had charge, prayed to his household gods 
to save him, Sacajawea "to whom I ascribe 
equal fortitude and resolution with any person 
on board at the time of the descent, caught and 
preserved most of the light articles which had 
been washed overboard." 

Sacajawea acted as interpreter to the first 
band of Shoshoni Indians they met, and enabled 
the expedition to secure ponies, without which 
they could not have crossed the Divide. When 
the members of Captain Clark's party were lost 
on their return journey, she guided them 
through the passes of Montana. 

The explorers named a beautiful river after 
her. They refer to it as a "handsome river 
about fifty yards in width. " 

So Sacajawea, a humble Indian woman, the 
slave-wife of an ignorant, brutal man, by sim- 
ply and naturally making the best use of every 
opportunity offered her, lives today in the 
record of the expedition, and in the name given 
by the Lewis and Clark expedition to the broad, 
quiet river: — Sacajawea, the bird-woman. 



AN ALGONQUIN SONG 



OME, my loved one, let us climb that shin- 



And sit together on that shining mountain; 
There we will watch the beautiful sun go down 
from the shining mountain. 

There we will sit, till the beautiful night trav- 
eller arises above the shining mountain ; 
We will watch him, as he climbs to the beautiful 



We will also watch the little stars following 
their chief. 

We will also watch the Northern lights playing 
their game of ball in their cold, shiny coun- 
try. 

There we will sit on the beautiful mountain, 
and listen to the Thunder bird beating his 
drum. 

We will see the lightning when she lights her 
pipe. 

We will see the great whirlwind running a race 
with the squall. 




skies. 



22 



AN ALGONQUIN SONG 23 



There we will sit, till every living creature feels 

like sleeping. 
There we will hear the great owl sing his usual 

song, 'go to sleep all/ and see the animals 

obey his song. 

There we will sit on that beautiful mountain 
and watch the little stars in their sleepless 
flight. 

They do not mind the song go to sleep all; 
Neither will we mind it, but sit more closely to- 
gether and think of nothing but ourselves 
On the beautiful mountain. 

Again, the go to sleep all will be heard, and the 
night traveller will come closer to warn us 
that all are dreaming, except ourselves and 
the little stars. 

They and their chief are coursing along, and our 
minds go with them. 

Then the owl sleeps; no more is heard go to 
sleep all; 

The lightning ceases smoking; the thunder 

ceases beating his drum ; 
And though we are inclined to sleep, yet we will 

sit 

On the beautiful, shining mountain. 



HOW LAWISWIS WAS RESCUED BY THE 
WHITE ROSES 



A Legend of the Oregon Indians, re-told from W. D. Lyman's 
Myths and Superstitions of ihe Oregon Indians in Proceedings 
of the American Antiquarian Society N. S. Vol. XVI, Oct., 
1903-04. 

ON Mount Tacoma, in the long ago, lived 
Nekahni the Great Spirit, who tended his 
flocks of wild goats near the wide snow-covered 
fields. From this high place he looked down 
npon the red children and cared for them, and 
from here he ruled over the whole world. 

Now, in the valley below dwelt Lawiswis, the 
most beautiful of all the maidens in the whole 
world. At her birth the sea shells had given her 
of their power and music, and the roses had 
given her of their fragrance and beauty. When 
she went to the seashore, the shells caught the 
morning dew and gave to her to drink, and 
when she visited the roses of paradise, they wor- 
shipped her. 

Nekahni looking down upon the valley one 
day, saw Lawiswis, and straightway his heart 
was filled with a great love for the maiden, and 
he built for her a tepee upon the mountain side 
nearer the valley. The place was made of 

24 



HOW LAWISWIS WAS RESCUED 25 



white roses, as pure as the maiden Lawiswis 
herself. These roses were not like the roses 
that grow in this day, for they had no sharp 
thorns upon them. 

Here in this beautiful place Lawiswis came 
to be the wife of Nekahni, and great joy dwelt 
in the heart of Nekahni and in the heart of the 
maiden Lawiswis. When Nekahni was absent 
on the mountain top conversing with Colesnass, 
the Winter; or Skamson, the Thunder bird; or 
Tootah, the Thunder Chief, he gave Lawiswis 
into the keeping of the white roses. 

"Keep her from all harm," he charged them. 
And the roses answered him: "Have no fear, 
we will protect the maiden Lawiswis from all 
evil." 

Far down in the valley in a deep gorge lived 
the evil spirit Memelek, horrible to behold. 
Her blanket was made of cougar skins fastened 
together with the fingers of slaughtered fairies 
whom she had destroyed. About her waist and 
neck, Memelek wore, instead of ornaments of 
shells, strings of serpents, and whenever she 
wished to destroy any one, she would unfasten 
the strings and say: 

"My children, hasten to that one whom I 
would destroy, and cause him to feel my 
power. ' ' 

Memelek hated Lawiswis because she was so 



26 



JOYFUL STAR 



pure and beautiful, because her ways were not 
as the ways of Memelek, the skookum of great 
evil power. And Memelek was filled with fury 
because Lawiswis was happy in the love of 
Nekahni, in her tepee of roses high up on the 
mountain side. So this one of evil determined 
to destroy the maiden Lawiswis, and upon a day 
when she saw the flocks of wild goats far up on 
the snow capped mountain close beside the sky, 
she thought : ' ' Now will I send my children to 
destroy that maiden Lawiswis, for Nekahni is 
far away on the mountain top caring for his wild 
goats.' ' And Memelek hastened up the moun- 
tain side toward the tepee of white roses. She 
unfastened the strings of serpents about her 
neck and her waist, and said : 

"My children, in the tepee of white roses 
dwells the maiden Lawiswis, that one blessed by 
the sea shells and the roses. Lawiswis dwells 
there happy in the love of Nekahni, never 
dreaming of the power of Memelek in the gorge 
by the swiftly flowing river. My children, 
hasten to the tepee of that one and destroy her 
in her place of white roses !" 

The serpents answered: "It is well," and 
silently and swiftly they glided over the earth 
toward the place of white roses. 

But the white roses were guarding the 
maiden, and they saw the messengers of that 
evil one, Memelek. 



HOW LAWISWIS WAS RESCUED 



27 



"How shall we protect her?" they said to 
one another. ' ' Nekahni is far up on the moun- 
tain with his flocks, how shall we warn him?'' 

Nearer and nearer to the place of white roses 
drew the serpents, and great was the anguish of 
the white roses. Then they made themselves 
strong in magical power and sent a message 
through the air to Nekahni, telling him of the 
danger of Lawiswis. Far above them in the 
place of snow, Nekahni received the warning 
and gave the white roses of his great power. 
And just as the serpents were winding their 
bodies about the white roses, to fall upon the 
sleeping Lawiswis within, the flowers became a 
bright red, and long, sharp thorns covered their 
bodies. And the serpents, torn and bleeding, 
loosened their hold of the roses and fled back to 
Memelek in her gorge deep in the valley below. 

Nekahni cursed Memelek with a great curse. 
"Forever shalt thou dwell in the dark gorge, 
Memelek,' 7 he said. "Nevermore shalt thou 
have power to come into the light of the upper 
world and harm my children. This is thy pun- 
ishment. ' ' 

From that time have sharp thorns grown 
upon rose trees, ever reminding us of how the 
maiden Lawiswis was rescued by the white 
roses. 



THE WILL-O'-THE-WISP 



A legend of the Pacific Northwest, re-told from Phillips's 
Indian Fairy Tales. 

ONCE upon a time there was a maiden 
named Hah-hah, the one with bright 
eyes. Hah-hah had a lover, Wah-wah-hoo, the 
son of the chief, and they planned to be married 
in mid-summer, when the salmon berries were 
ripe. 

But Wah-wah-hoo 's father did not know of 
his son's plans, and he arranged for his son to 
marry a maiden of another tribe. The father, 
Hyas Tyee, was a very powerful chief. He 
ruled his people ; he ruled all the birds, and ani- 
mals, and insects in the world ; he ruled all peo- 
ple of the whole world, except the chief Klack-a- 
mass and his tribe. 

Hyas Tyee and Klack-a-mass waged war 
against each other for many snows, and at last, 
weary of warfare, they met in a great council 
and decided to be at peace. And while they 
were smoking the pipe of peace, Klack-a-mass, 
knowing that Hyas Tyee had a son of marriage- 
able age, said : 

28 



THE WILL-O'-THE WISP 29 



"Let this pledge of peace "between us be 
sealed by the marriage of thy son with my 
daughter, Kla-klack-hah. ' ' And Hyas Tyee 
answered: "It is well." 

Wah-wah-hoo knew nothing of his father's 
intentions, until just before the day of the wed- 
ding. Then very sadly he sought Hah-hah and 
told her that there was only one way of escape 
from his father's decision. 

"Wilt thou go with me into a far country? 
We will seek a land where our people can never 
find us, there we will be happy, my beloved. 
There the Great Spirit above will care for us 
and protect us." 

The few days left to Wah-wah-hoo before the 
wedding feast passed very swiftly. The last 
day came, and he sought Hah-hah. 

She came to him, dressed in her finest robe of 
white doeskin, glittering with its embroidery of 
shells. And over her shoulders she wore a 
shawl, skilfully woven by her own deft fingers 
from the shredded bark of cedar. They sat 
among the bright flowers that smiled at them in 
the sunshine, not knowing of their sorrow, and 
again Wah-wah-hoo said : 

"My beloved, come with me. Let us seek a . 
new home, and forget about Kla-klack-hah." 

And at last the bright eyed Hah-hah laid her 
hand upon Wah-wah-hoo 's arm, and answered: 
"I will go with thee, my beloved." 



30 



JOYFUL STAR 



Now, in the village of Kla-klack-hah, a great 
wedding feast had been prepared. The maiden, 
dressed in her wedding garments, waited hour 
after hour for Wah-wah-hoo. And all the tribe 
waited until the sun went down in the west for 
Wah-wah-hoo to come and claim his bride ! In 
great anger, Klack-a-mass sent runners to Hyas 
Tyee demanding an explanation for this in- 
sult. 

Hyas Tyee searched in vain for his son. He 
had fled. The maiden of the bright eyes, Han- 
nah, was missing from the village, too. 

' 4 They have fled together. My son has dared 
to look lightly upon my commands. He shall 
be found/ 1 declared Hyas Tyee, "and he shall 
suffer punishment. ' ' 

He sent runners about the country, every- 
where, to find Wah-wah-hoo ; but they returned, 
after many days. They could find no trace of 
him. Then the chief called together a council 
of all the birds, and insects, and animals, and 
fishes. And he demanded that they should find 
the disobedient Wah-wah-hoo for him. 

i 1 Fly toward the sky country, ' ' he ordered the 
eagle. " Watch for Wah-wah-hoo. Do not let 
him escape." 

" Search the rivers and lakes," he commanded 
the fishes. "Do not let Wah-wah-hoo pass by 
thee." 

"Spread out through the forests," he di- 



THE WILL-O'-THE WISP 31 



rected the wolves, "and smell their trails. Dis- 
cover their hiding place. ' ' 

And to the serpent, he said: "Thou quiet, 
swift traveller, who doth unseen and unheard 
follow thy victims, glide thou over the earth and 
find the hiding place of that disobedient one." 
And he gave orders to the mosquitoes, and to 
the squirrels, and to the gulls, and to all the 
wild creatures of the earth, that they should 
seek Wah-wah-hoo. 

Straightway the eagles mounted high in the 
air and watched for Wah-wah-hoo : and the gulls 
kept a lookout along the shores : the fishes swam 
through the rivers and lakes: the squirrels 
climbed the trees and watched and waited: yet 
none of these could ascertain where Wah-wah- 
hoo had gone. 

But the wolves, scattered throughout the for- 
est, soon discovered the trail. And the chief 
of the wolves said: "Wah-wah-hoo saved my 
life once. My people must not betray him." 
And all the wolves obeyed the word of their 
lord. 

The mosquitoes found their hiding place, too. 
Howbeit one said: "Hah-hah saved my life 
once, we must not reveal her place of refuge." 
So the mosquitoes kept their faith with Hah- 
hah. 

Now the blue jay is the chief of all the little 
people of the forests. And a bluejay told 



32 



JOYFUL STAR 



them to hide Wah-wah-hoo from the sight of 
those who sought him. And after this was 
done, Wah-wah-hoo was safe from those who 
would find his hiding place. 

"When Wah-wah-hoo and Hah-hah had trav- 
elled many moons, they at last reached a bright 
valley, full of sunshine, between a broad, gleam- 
ing river and a high mountain. 

"Here, my beloved,' ' said Wah-wah-hoo, "we 
shall be secure. From this valley we can pro- 
cure berries and fruits ; from the water the fish, 
that the Great Spirit has placed there for our 
use; and from the forests, animals for food, 
and trees for shelter and warmth. ' ' 

Wah-wah-hoo built a lodge of poles and 
closely covered it with bark. And then he fash- 
ioned a canoe, and spears, and bows, and many 
arrows. And while he busied himself thus, 
Hah-hah, the gentle, bright-eyed one, prepared 
the cedar bark fine and thread like, and wove 
soft blankets ; mats of rushes made she, to cover 
the floor of their lodge ; nets from the roots of 
the hemlock tree, Hah-hah fashioned, that fish 
from the river might be gained for their food. 

The days for Wah-wah-hoo and Hah-hah were 
full of enjoyment and peace. And it seemed 
that they were safe from sorrow and trouble. 

But, who can tell why the Great Spirit turns 
his face from his children — and allows them to 
suffer? 



THE WILL-O'-THE WISP 



33 



So it was with Wah-wah-hoo and the maiden 
Hah-hah. For one day, Colesnass, the winter 
wind, came from his home in the cold north. 
Colesnass, the Winter, visited the hiding place 
of Wah-wah-hoo. He covered the rivers and 
lakes with thick ice. He bnried the earth in 
deep snow, and ever the cold winds blew and 
the thick snow fell. 

Wah-wah-hoo conld no longer catch fish from 
the water, or hunt game in the forest, and soon 
there was no food in their lodge. Then the fire 
grew low and dark, for there was no fuel to keep 
it alive, and soon Yelth, the raven, stole away 
the fire, and the lodge was cold and dreary. 
Wah-wah-hoo had no food to give Hah-hah, and 
no warm fire to keep her from perishing. 

Then it was, that Colesick, the chief of the 
dead, entered the cold lodge and carried away 
the soul of Hah-hah. He left her cold body in 
the lonely lodge with Wah-wah-hoo. 

Thereupon the soul of Wah-wah-hoo was 
filled with a great longing to follow Hah-hah, 
and he said: " Colesick would not take me, but 
I will follow him. I, too, will go to the Land 
of Souls. I shall find Hah-hah, my beloved." 
Then he carried Hah-hah's body to a great 
rock which overhung the falls in the river. 

Wah-wah-hoo sang his death chant and 
sprang into the swiftly flowing water. But, 
here, Wah-wah-hoo could not obtain his desire. 



34 



JOYFUL STAR 



Here, the chief of the fishes rescued him and 
carried him to the lodge of his father, Hyas 
Tyee, the great chief. 

' 6 Thou art not fit for the companionship of 
human beings,' ' his father said, in deep anger. 
' 'I will transform thee into a frog! Go! sit in 
the mud all day. Sing to me, that I may know 
that thou art afraid of men." 

So, Wah-wah-hoo was changed into a frog 
by the magic of his father. And at night, he 
sings mournful little songs. He is calling to his 
wife, Hah-hah, the bright-eyed one. 

And Hah-hah, as a spirit-maiden, wanders 
at night through the swamps and marshes seek- 
ing her husband. She holds a little white light 
high before her. But she can never find Wah- 
wah-hoo, for as she approaches him, Wah-wah- 
hoo, in fear, springs into the water. And the 
spirit-maiden wanders on, not knowing that she 
has been so near to that one whom she is seek- 
ing. 

So, night after night, the faint glow from 
Hah-hah 's lantern can be seen gleaming here 
and there among the reeds and marshes, and 
men called it the will-o'-the-wisp; but it is the 
light held by Hah-hah, the spirit-maiden, seek- 
ing her husband Wah-wah-hoo. 



WINONA THE SIOUX MAIDEN 



Adapted from Keating's Narrative of an Expedition to the 
Source of St. Peter's River, etc., in 1823. 

THEKE once lived a Sioux maiden named 
"Winona. She was the beloved of her 
father and mother, and of her brothers who were 
younger than she. Winona loved a young 
hunter, and they had planned to build their 
lodge as soon as Winona's parents gave their 
consent to the marriage. 

The hunter approached the old people, one 
day. "My thoughts are of thy daughter, 
Winona. She of all the Wapasha maidens is 
the one whom I seek for my wife. And that 
one hath said to me, also, ' behold! I would 
choose thee of all others.' Therefore, give the 
maiden to me that she may brighten my lodge. 
I will supply her with venison and meat in 
abundance, and the days of the maiden's life 
shall be passed in peace and plenty." 

Now, in this Sioux village of the Wapasha, 
there lived a warrior who had won the war-bon- 
net. Moreover, he had been honoured by all 
the nation for his brave deeds when the Wap- 
asha village had been attacked by the Chip- 

35 



36 



JOYFUL STAR 



pewa. And this one, also, had sought the hand 
of the maiden from her parents. But this the 
maiden did not know. So when the young 
hunter, in great gladness of heart, sought Win- 
ona of her parents, he found his suit denied. 

"We have given our daughter to a warrior. 
He has won the war-bonnet. He is loved and 
honoured by all the nation, so great and power- 
ful in valour has he shown himself. Go thy 
way. Seek for thyself some other maiden, for 
to this warrior do we give our daughter, "Win- 
ona. * 9 

The maiden turned aside from the wishes of 
her people. "To a hunter have I given my 
love. Him have I chosen of all others. To the 
lodge of this warrior I will never go. Let him 
seek another from among the Wapasha maid- 
ens," she said. 

"This warrior is the bravest and the most 
honoured of all the Sioux warriors, my daugh- 
ter," Winona's father urged. "Our daughter 
will be the wife of this one. She will be the 
mother of brave warriors." 

"It is true that this warrior may bring me 
much honour," answered Winona, "but he will 
be away on the war path, and who will provide 
my children with food and clothing! Who will 
keep the cold and hunger of winter from our 
lodge, when this warrior is fighting the enemy? 
But the hunter whom I have chosen will never 




Winona. 



Statue in the park in Winona, Minnesota. 



WINONA THE SIOUX MAIDEN 37 



be long absent from our lodge. Always will 
there be an abundance of food and comfort in 
our lodge. Let it be, my father, as I have said. 
Let the warrior go away on the war path, or 
seek some other maiden ; for I have chosen the 
hunter, and to his lodge only will I go." 

All her life, Winona had been gentle and 
yielding in every way, and her parents be- 
lieved that she would in the end be obedient to 
them if the hunter were driven from the village. 
This was soon accomplished, but in no way did 
this act of theirs weaken the maiden's resolu- 
tion. 

"I may not be able to marry that one whom 
I have chosen, so I will remain a maiden as 
long as I live, my father," she said. "I will 
never marry the warrior." 

Then her parents believing that torture 
would force her to be obedient, began to use 
harsh measures. But Winona's brothers could 
not see her ill-treated. 

"Do not force our sister to obey thy com- 
mands," they urged. "But rather let us per- 
suade her." So they made rich presents to the 
warrior, to enable him to provide for Winona's 
comfort as abundantly as a hunter could do. 

These acts of her brothers, although so well 
meant, did not weaken Winona's resolution. 
There came to her, at this time, this thought 
which grew into a determination. 



38 



JOYFUL STAR 



"I will not ask to be allowed to marry the 
one I love, but if my parents do not allow me 
to remain a maiden, then will I choose that 
lonely trail to travel through which so many of 
the women of my tribe have preferred to go. 
I will choose death!" And so, when her 
parents used threats, and the warrior encour- 
aged by her brothers' approbation, addressed 
her, although he knew her own thoughts upon 
the matter, Winona's resolution was formed. 

"To-day will I go upon that journey. Be- 
fore the darkness falls will I set out upon that 
trail over which the souls of the weary, un- 
happy women travel, dragging after them the 
tree that has given them their relief." 

That very day, it happened, that Winona's 
family and many others of the village set out 
for a lake near by to gather blue clay. And 
when they had reached the place, Winona, re- 
plying to the threats of her father, said: 

"Thou dost say that thou hast love for me, 
my parents and my brothers? Yet thou hast 
driven from me that one whom I love. Thou 
hast driven him from the village into the wil- 
derness. Alone now he wanders with no one 
to help him; no one to spread his blanket; no 
one to build his lodge ; no one to wait upon him. 
Alone he wanders. Yet was he the one of my 
choice. Is this thy love? 

"Ah, my people! It seems that this is not 



WINONA THE SIOUX MAIDEN 39 



enough, for thou wouldst force me to rejoice 
in this one's absence; thou wouldst have me 
unite with this warrior whom I do not love, and 
with whom I could never be happy. This, then, 
is thy love! Let it be so. But, soon, my 
parents, thou shalt have no daughter; soon, 
my brothers, thou shalt have no sister; soon, 
my people, thou shalt have no relative to tor- 
ment with thy false professions of affection. 
Farewell !" 

Winona turned from them and slowly 
mounted the hill toward the high bluff that 
stood guard over the shore. 

i i This very day shall our daughter be united 
to the warrior,' ' her parents said, as they 
watched her. Straightway all began prepara- 
tions for the wedding feast to be held beside 
the lake. While they were thus occupied, a 
voice came to them from the high rock above. 
The winds carried the words to them. They 
listened. 

' 1 Thou hast shown me great cruelty, my peo- 
ple," Winona cried. 6 ' Even now thou dost 
make preparations for my wedding feast; but 
soon shalt thou see how well I can defeat all 
these, thy heartless plans." 

The people below stood still, and fear filled 
their hearts. Then there came down to them 
Winona's song. She was singing her death 
dirge! 



40 



JOYFUL STAR 



Then there was hurrying and confusion, and 
calling! "Winona! My daughter! My first 
born ! 9 9 called her mother, stretching her arms 
upward toward the maiden. 

Her brothers swiftly ran up the steep hill 
thinking to reach her before she would take the 
fatal leap from the rock. Others quickly 
sprang from rock to rock along the shore, that 
they might receive her body in their arms, 
should she carry out her purpose; and the 
proud father called: 

"My daughter, only wait! Come back! 
Thou shalt have thy wish ! Only come back to 
me, my daughter !" 

But it was too late. Winona with out- 
stretched arms, loudly singing her death dirge, 
made the great leap ! And when they reached 
the spot where she had fallen, they found that 
she had started upon her journey over that 
trail along which passed the souls of those 
women of her race who were weary of heart 
and who desired rest. 



THE FOREST MAIDEN 



A Micmac Legend, from Glooscap the Great Chief by E. N. 
Partridge. 

IT was in the olden time, and two brothers 
went hunting in the autumn, far up a 
river, in the deep forest. And they built a 
wigwam there, and remained all winter. 

In the early spring their snow-shoes and their 
moccasins were worn and torn, and one night 
they wished that a woman were there to mend 
them. 

The younger brave returned to the lodge the 
next day before his brother, as usual, to pre- 
pare the evening meal — when, what was his 
astonishment to find that some one had been 
there before him! Their garments were 
mended; the lodge was clean; there was a 
bright fire ; and the kettle was boiling. 

He said nothing about these wonderful things 
to his brother that night. 

The next night he came back at the same 
time, and he found that some one had been 
there again; and that all was ready for the 
evening meal. Again he said nothing; but in 
the morning, when he started out to hunt, he 

41 



42 



JOYFUL STAR 



went but a little way, and watched the door 
from a hiding-place. 

Soon he saw coming toward the wigwam a 
beautiful, graceful maiden. She was well 
dressed and clean. She entered the wigwam, 
and the young brave drew near, and stepping 
softly, looked through a hole into the lodge, 
and watched her as she busied herself about 
the work of the wigwam. 

Then he drew aside the blankets in the door- 
way, and stood before the maiden. She 
seemed frightened and confused. 

"Have no fear," he said. "I will not harm 
you. ' ' 

Soon they became friendly, and they 
sported together like children all day long. 
For they were both young. 

"When the sun was low, and the shadows 
grew long, the maiden said : 

"I must go away now; I hear your brother 
coming, and I fear him. But I will come to- 
morrow. ' ' 

She ran away through the forest, and the 
elder brother entered the wigwam. Still he 
knew nothing about the maiden. 

The next day the maiden came again, and 
once more the two played in the sunshine and 
shadow until evening. But before she went, 
the young brave tried to persuade her to stay 
always; and she, as though in doubt said: 



THE FOREST MAIDEN 43 



"Tell your brother all, and it may be that 
I will stay and serve you both, for I can make 
the snow-shoes and the moccasins, which you 
need so much, and I can also build canoes.' ' 

Then she ran away, and when the elder 
brother came home, the young brave told him 
all that had happened. 

The elder brother said: 

"Truly, I should be glad to have some one 
here to take care of the wigwam for us." 

In the morning the beautiful maiden re- 
turned as she had promised. When she heard 
that the brother would consent to her coming 
to stay with them she was very glad, and ran 
off again as if in great haste. 

At noon she returned, drawing a sled piled 
up with garments and arms, — for she was a 
hunter; and indeed, she could do all things, as 
few women could, whether it were cooking, or 
sewing, or making all that men need. 

So the spring passed pleasantly, until the 
snow was gone; and then it was time for the 
hunters to return home. Until the maiden 
came, they had had but little luck in their hunt- 
ing; but after that everything was changed, 
and now they had a great supply of furs. 

One day they started in their canoes down 
the river toward home. But as they drew near 
to it, the maiden became sad. As they came to 
a point of land, she started and said : 



44 



JOYFUL STAR 



"Here I must leave you. I can go no 
further. Say nothing of me to your parents, 
for your father would have but little love for 
me. ' * 

The young men tried to persuade her to go 
with them but she only answered sorrowfully: 

"No, it cannot be." 

So they went home without her. 

Now the elder brother was so proud of their 
great luck in hunting that he must tell all that 
had befallen them, and about the young maiden 
who had come to be their housekeeper. 

Then the father became very angry, and 
said: 

"All my life I have feared this. This 
woman, I may tell you, is a devil of the woods, 
a witch of the Mitche-hant, a sister of the 
Oonahganiess, the goblins, and of the Ke' tajiks, 
the ghosts." 

He spoke so earnestly and so long of this 
thing that they were afraid, and the elder, 
urged on by his father, went forth to slay the 
maiden. And the younger brother followed 
him afar off. 

They sought her by a stream, and found her 
bathing. When she saw them coming, she ran 
up a little hill. And, as she ran, the elder 
brother shot an arrow after her. It struck her 
back, and they saw that there was a strange 
flurry about her, and a scattering, as of 



THE FOEEST MAIDEN 45 



feathers; and then they saw a little grey bird 
arise from the ground and fly away. 

Then the brothers returned to the lodge and 
told their father all that had happened. 

"You did well," he said. "I know all about 
those female devils, who seek to destroy men. 
Truly this was a she Mikumwess, a witch." 

The younger brother could not forget his 
companion of the woods, and he longed to see 
her again. And one day, filled with this long- 
ing, he went by himself into the woods, and 
there he found her! — And she was as kind to 
him as before. 

"Truly, it was not by my wish," he said, 
"that my brother shot the arrow at you." 

"Truly, I know that," she answered; "and 
that it was all the doing of your father. Yet 
I do not blame him, for this is an affair of the 
days of old. And even yet it is not at an end, 
for the greatest is to come. But let the day 
be a day unto itself only. The things of to- 
morrow are for to-morrow, and the things of 
yesterday are departed!" 

So they forgot their troubles, and played to- 
gether merrily like children all day long, in 
the woods and in the open places, and told 
stories of olden times until sunset. And as 
the crow went to his tree, the young brave 
said: 

"Now I must return to my people." 



46 



JOYFUL STAR 



And she replied : 

"Whenever you wish to see me, come to the 
forest. And remember what I have told you. 
Do not marry any one ; for your father wishes 
you to do so, and he will speak of it, and that 
very soon. Yet it is for your sake only that 
I say this. You must not forget." 

Then she told him, word for word, all that 
his father had said about her ; and yet the young 
brave was not astonished, for he knew now that 
she was not as other women. But he did not 
care, and he grew brave and bold; and when 
she told him that if he should marry another, 
he would surely die, it was as nothing to him. 

Then he left her there in the forest, and re- 
turned to his own people ; and the first words 
his father said to him were these : 

"My son, I have found a wife for you, and 
the wedding must be at once. ' ' 

"It is well," he said. "Let it be so." 

Then for four days they held the wedding 
dance, and for four days they feasted, but on 
the last day the young brave said : 

"This is the end of it all!" And he lay down 
on a white bear skin, and then a great sick- 
ness came upon him, and when they brought 
the bride to him, they found that he was dead. 

And kespeadooksit — the story ends. 



A CHIPPEWAY LOVE SONG 



From Schoolcraft. 

6t T WILL walk into somebody's dwelling, 
X Into somebody's dwelling will I walk. 

To thy dwelling, my dearly beloved, 
Some night will I walk, will I walk. 

Some night in the winter, my beloved, 
To thy dwelling will I walk, will I walk. 

This very night, my beloved, 

To thy dwelling, will I walk, will I walk." 



47 



THE PRINCESS AND THE SHEPHERD 



A PERUVIAN FAIRY TALE 

FAR over the Andes, in the little valley of 
Laris, there once lived a shepherd-boy. 
His name was Acoya-napa. He was kind and 
gentle to his flocks of white llamas which he 
tended for the Inca to sacrifice to the Sun. In 
the mountain pastures, high above his home, 
Acoya-napa strolled, day after day, behind his 
flocks, playing softly upon his flute. 

It happened, one day, while Acoya-napa was 
playing to his flocks, that two daughters of the 
Sun, beautiful princesses, were wandering 1 
through the fields. They drew near at the 
sound of the music. They saw the gentle 
shepherd resting at his ease, and they asked 
him about the llamas. 

Acoya-napa had not seen them, until they 
addressed him, and he thought: "It may be 
that they are spirits from the mountains,' ' and 
so he fell upon his knees before them. He 
dared not answer their questions about the 
llamas. But they reassured him. 

"Do not fear us, for we are the children of 

48 



THE PRINCESS AND THE SHEPHERD 49 



the Sun, whose flocks thou carest for, and we 
wander over the green meadows or through the 
wide pastures on the mountains all the day 
long. When the grey twilight steals over the 
land, then we seek one of the mansions of our 
father, the Sun, for he has many palaces where 
we rest the night long. But, we may not enter 
until the guards have examined us to discover 
whether there he any necklaces or fillets about 
us. For should we carry such things with us 
into the palace of the Sun, great harm would 
come to us." 

By this time, the shepherd's fear had died 
away, and he talked with the princesses and 
played sweetly for them until the rays of the 
sun drew nearer to the earth and cast beauti- 
fully coloured lights upon the snow-capped 
mountain-tops. Then Acoya-napa said: 

"Twilight draws near, I must lead my flocks 
to their fold." And as he turned from them, 
the elder princess, Chuqui-llantu, detained him. 
She had been impressed by his grace and gentle- 
ness, and she felt a strange reluctance at hav- 
ing him leave her. 

i ' What is thy name 1 ' ' she asked, ' ' and where 
dost thou live?" 

And the shepherd pausing, answered her, 
"My name is Acoya-napa, and I live in the 
sheltered valley of Laris. ' ' 

Then again Chuqui-llantu delayed his going, 



50 



JOYFUL STAR 



asking him about the plate of silver which he 
wore over his forehead. There were two fig- 
ures very skilfully carved upon it, that were 
eating a heart between them. Chuqui-llantu 
held the plate toward the sunlight, examining 
it closely, and then returning it to the shepherd, 
took leave of him and set out for the palace of 
the Sun with her sister. But all the way home, 
she could talk of no one but the shepherd. And 
she described the silver plate which glittered 
upon his forehead. 

When the princesses reached the palace, the 
guards examined them, and finding nothing 
harmful about them, allowed them to enter. 
They found the women of the Sun preparing 
the evening meal, but Chuqui-llantu would not 
join them, she was weary, she told them, and 
desired rest. 

When Chuqui-llantu was alone in her room, 
she gave way to her thoughts of the shep- 
herd lad. And, at last, these thoughts grew 
into longings. Then she fell asleep, and a 
strange ^hing happened. In her sleep, a bird 
appeared before her and said: 

"Why dost thou mourn, fair princess?" 

"Ah, little bird," the princess answered, "I 
mourn for that for which there is no remedy." 

"Only tell me thy trouble," said the little 
bird, "and I will give to thee a remedy for 
it." 



THE PRINCESS AND THE SHEPHERD 51 



So Chuqui-llantu told the little bird about the 
shepherd lad who guarded the white flock. 
"And I must die," she said, "for there is no 
cure for me but to go to him whom I love ; and 
if I do so, then my father, the Sun, will order 
me to be put to death." 

"Now follow my directions," said the little 
bird, "and all will be well with thee. Go at 
once to the garden and sit between the four 
fountains and sing there those thoughts thou 
dost have uppermost in thy mind. If the four 
fountains repeat the words after thee, then 
mayest thou safely do that which thy soul de- 
sirest. ' ' 

Then the princess awoke. She was all alone 
in her chamber. There was no little bird there. 
She was terrified. However, the word of the 
little bird kept ringing in her ears, and she 
quickly dressed and hastened to the garden 
of the four fountains. 

"Now what shall I say," thought the prin- 
cess. Then she remembered the gleaming 
silver plate that Acoya-napa wore upon his 
forehead, and she described that in a little song. 
She had no sooner finished her singing, than 
to her amazement, the four fountains repeated 
after her, her very words. Then Chuqui-llantu 
knew that all would be well, that in some way 
she would be permitted to marry the gentle 
shepherd lad. So with a light heart, the prin- 



52 



JOYFUL STAR 



cess of the Sun returned to her chamber and 
was soon fast asleep. 

Now, Acoya-napa, the shepherd of the white 
flock, could not free his mind of the thought 
of the great beauty of Chuqui-llantu. Love 
was stirring his heart and he was downcast, 
for there was no hope. He took his flute and 
played such sad music that he shed tears, mur- 
muring, "Ay! ay! ay! for the unlucky 
shepherd. Now, truly, am I approaching the 
day of my death. For there is no remedy for 
me, and there is no hope." 

The shepherd 's mother in the valley of Laris, 
knew by her magical power that sorrow had 
seized her son, and she knew that he must die 
unless she could help him. So early in the 
morning she hastened up the mountain-side to 
the little hut beside the sheep-fold, and there 
she found Acoya-napa asleep, his face wet with 
tears. She awakened him, saying: 

' 6 Do not be so sad, my child, for I will surely 
find a remedy for thee. ' ' Then she went among 
the rocks of the mountain-side and gathered 
herbs which would be a cure for his grief. She 
collected a great quantity of them and was cook- 
ing them, when she saw coming toward the 
sheep-fold, the two princesses of the Sun. She 
hastily took off her magical cloak and covered 
Acoya-napa with it, making him invisible. 



THE PRINCESS AND THE SHEPHERD 53 



Just at that moment the princesses paused at 
the entrance of the little hut. When they saw 
the old woman within, Chuqui-llantu said: 

"Couldst thou give us to eat, good dame? 
We have wandered far over the mountain-side 
and have hunger.' ' 

The old woman, kneeling before them, re- 
plied: 6 ' Truly nothing have I but a dish of 
herbs. But to that thou art welcome." 

Then the princesses sat in the doorway and 
ate of the herbs, and Chuqui-llantu looked about 
the hut, hoping to see that one who held all her 
thoughts. "Ah, he must be with his white 
flocks," she concluded. Then she spied the 
cloak. It was woven in a strange, fanciful pat- 
tern, and it attracted her attention. 

"What a beautiful cloak," she said, looking 
at it. "Where didst thou get it?" 

"It came to me by inheritance," the shep- 
herd's mother answered. "It once belonged to 
a woman beloved by Pachacamac, the deity of 
the valley. ' ' 

Then Chuqui-llantu longed to have the cloak, 
and at length, begged it of the old woman. And 
when she finally possessed it her liking for it 
grew stronger. Soon she took leave of the old 
woman, and, holding the cloak carefully, wan- 
dered over the mountain pastures with her 
sister, filled with a longing to be with Acoya- 
napa. 



54 



JOYFUL STAR 



All this while, the shepherd was invisible in- 
side the magical cloak which hung over the prin- 
cess 's arm. And when the maidens returned 
to the palace of the Sun the guards examined 
the cloak but thought that no harm could come 
of it, so it befell that Chuqui-llantu laid it over 
a chair in her chamber. And there, that night, 
she wept, telling the cloak of her love for the 
gentle shepherd. Then quiet slumber com- 
forted her. In the night she awoke, and she 
saw in place of the cloak, the shepherd-lad, 
gazing sadly upon her. The princess was filled 
with fear. 

"How didst thou enter the palace V 9 she 
asked. 

"By means of the magical cloak which thou 
didst carry so carefully," he answered. 
"Now, hereafter, I have the power to become 
the cloak at will." 

Then the two made plans to escape, the next 
day, from the country of the Sun. Early in the 
morning just as the sun was brightening the 
mountain-tops the princess started out from the 
palace with her cloak over her arm. She wan- 
dered through the mountain slopes until she 
entered a ravine, and then, feeling secure from 
any watchful eye, she placed the cloak upon the 
ground beside her. At once the shepherd-lad 
stood before her. 

But in the distance, there had followed the 



THE PRINCESS AND THE SHEPHERD 55 



princess, a guard of the royal palace, and when 
he saw the shepherd, he gave the alarm with 
loud shouts, and hastily pursued them. The 
lovers fled high up the mountain until, at last, 
weary and fainting they climbed a giant rock, 
and in their weariness they fell asleep. 

Now, it befell, that the Sun, travelling through 
the heavens, looked down upon the mountain 
side, and saw his beautiful daughter, Chuqui- 
llantu, asleep upon the high rock with the shep- 
herd of the white flocks. And the Sun was 
filled with anger, and a sound like thunder filled 
the whole earth, awakening the sleepers. 

The lovers arose from the rock and looked 
toward the town of Calca which lay at their 
feet. At that instant a strange horror seized 
them, and when the princess would fain have 
spoken to her lover, the power of speech had 
flown! She tried to turn to him, but she could 
not move. The shepherd, too, stood immov- 
able. 

And there upon the high rock overlooking 
Calca, may be seen to this day, the shepherd of 
the white flocks and the princess of the Sun. 



THE TWO ROCKS IN PASSAMAQUODDY BAY 



IN the long ago, there was a certain Indian 
village on the shores of Passamaquoddy 
Bay. Here there lived two families who held 
strife between them. What caused this to be, 
no one knew. It was an affair of the olden 
time, kept alive by the bitterness in their hearts. 
Yet it was to bring them great sorrow in the 
end. 

It befell, that a young brave of one family 
loved a maiden of the other family, and al- 
though they knew of the ancient feud, they 
hoped that there might be happiness for them. 

"Listen not to the words of that one," the 
maiden's parents said. "He belongs to> the 
family of our ancient enemies.' ' 

But the two met by stealth. They loved in 
secret. And when the maiden had consented 
to become the wife of the young brave, he went 
to her parents. 

"Behold, there is a great love between us," 
he said. "Bury the ancient feud deep down in 
the earth; cast it far down in the blue ocean, 
where the great rocks will hold it fast; burn it 
when the blazing pine logs light up the dark 

56 



TWO ROCKS IN PASSAMAQUODDY BAY 57 



sky, and let the winds of the night scatter the 
ashes. Give me this maiden to brighten my 
wigwam — for there is great love between us. 
So shall there be peace between thy family and 
mine. ' ' 

But the maiden's father replied: 

" Never shall the ancient feud between thy 
family and mine be covered over by the cold, 
damp earth : never shall the rocks of the ocean 
hold it fast: and never shall the blazing pine 
logs burn it to ashes so that the winds of the 
night shall scatter it. Never shall the maiden 
dwell in thy wigwam ; and never shall there be 
peace between thy family and mine. I have 
spoken.' ' 

Then the young brave with sorrow making 
heavy his heart returned to his own lodge, and 
he addressed his father, even as he had spoken 
to the father of his beloved. 

Even with greater anger and bitterness, did 
his father declare that the ancient feud between 
the two families should never die. 

Then it seemed to the youth and the maiden 
that the sunlight had grown dim : that the grey, 
cold fog from the ocean had enveloped them. 

They met in secret far from the village, and 
at last the parents of the maiden said : 

"We must make an encampment far from 
here, where they can no longer see each other. ' ' 

So they gathered their belongings together 



58 



JOYFUL STAR 



and carried them to the large canoe on the 
shore, waiting to bear them to some far distant 
place where they should see the son of their 
ancient enemy no more. While the old people 
were doing this, the maiden slipped away to the 
meeting place where the two should see each 
other for the last time. 

" While the world stands, I will love thee," 
the young brave said to her. And the maiden 
repeated after him the same words: 

6 6 While the world stands, I will love thee. v 
Then the young brave said: 

"I shall will to see thee while the 1 rocks 
stand.' ' 

And the maiden, knowing the thought in his 
heart, replied: "I shall will to see thee while 
the rocks stand, while the world lasts." Then 
she left him alone in the forest. 

But he followed her afar off. 

And when her parents carried her away in 
their canoe, the young brave stood upon the 
shore watching, and he sang: 

"My parents think that they can separate me from 

the maiden I love ; 
We have vowed to love each other while we live. 
Their commands are vain: we shall see each other 

while the world lasts. 
Yes! let them say or do what they like; we shall see 

each other while the rocks stand. ' ' 



TWO BOCKS IN PASSAMAQUODDY BAY 59 



The canoe bore the maiden to an island in 
the distance. The young brave watching, saw 
her step upon the shore, and knowing in his 
heart of her determination, he called his wil] 
to grow strong and powerful. And he willed 
to become a rock on the shore, where he might 
see his beloved while the world should stand. 
Behold! his will accomplished that which he 
desired. 

The maiden, knowing of the change which 
was taking place in her beloved, sang: 

"Here I sit on this point on the shore, 
Whence I can see the brave that I love. 
Our people think that they can separate us; 
But we shall see each other while the world lasts. 
Here shall I remain, in sight of that one I love. ' ' 

Then she became very still, willing to be 
turned into stone. And her will wrought its 
way with her. She, too, became a rock upon 
the shore. 

There in Passamaquoddy Bay, where the sun 
shines upon them, and where the thick fog 
wraps itself about them, where the waves 
ever beat upon the shore around them, the 
lovers stand where they can see each other while 
the world lasts. 



THE BIRD BRIDE 



A Peruvian Legend re-told from Lewis H. Spence's Myths 

of Mexico and Peru. 

IN the early morning of the world, a deluge 
once came upon the people. There were 
two brothers who tried to escape destruction. 

"Let us climb the high mountain, Huaca- 
quan, ' ' they said. ' i Truly it will save us from 
the deluge." And as the youths climbed the 
mountain side, they kept repeating: "Truly, 
the mountain will save us." 

And Huacaquan, the mountain, heard them 
and their faith in him made his heart glad. 
' ' Truly, indeed, will Huacaquan, the mountain, 
save them," he determined. 

The water rose steadily, sweeping nearer and 
nearer the youths who were hastening up the 
mountain side, and then the mountain put forth 
its power and increased its height, and try 
though the water might, it could not overtake 
the two brothers. 

When the cruel water had returned to its own 
dominions, the two brothers went down into the 
valley again, in search of food. They built a 
small house and lived therein, and day after 

60 



THE BIRD BRIDE 



61 



day they went out searching for food. One 
night when they returned to their home, they 
found the evening meal prepared for them. 

"Some one has been here!" they exclaimed. 
But no one could be found. Every day, this 
happened, and the tenth day the elder brother 
determined to conceal himself in the house, 
while the other was out hunting. 

Soon the elder brother heard the sound of 
voices approaching the house where he was con- 
cealed. "Now," thought he, "I shall discover 
who it is that supplies us with food." And he 
waited quietly. Then two birdlike beings ap- 
peared; and when they had laid aside their 
mantles, the elder brother saw that they were 
really women. He was so rejoiced at the 
thought that there were other human beings 
in this lonely valley, that he sprang eagerly 
toward them. The bird-women turned at the 
sound, just as the youth was about to grasp 
them. Quickly and angrily they seized their 
mantles, and changing themselves into birds, 
flew far away. 

Then the elder brother was sorry that he had 
not appreciated the work of these bird people. 
But he longed to see them again. So day after 
day he waited concealed in his home, thinking: 
"To-day they may return to us." But day fol- 
lowed day and the bird-women did not appear. 
At last, one day, just as he was despairing of 



62 



JOYFUL STAR 



their coming back, there entered the house the 
two maidens. The youth remained hidden un- 
til the maidens were very busy at work, when 
he sprang to the door to close it. But the 
younger maiden, who was nearer the door than 
the other, sprang to it, and flitted away as a 
bird. 

"Stay with me," the youth pleaded of the 
bird-maiden. "I have great loneliness here, 
and truly we have need of thee." 

So the maiden remained and became the bird 
bride of the youth. Long years were they 
married, and sons and daughters came to them. 
And from them sprang the tribe of Canaries. 
And always the people look upon the qua- 
camay o with reverence, saying: 

"These are our ancestors," and always do 
they use their feathers at the tribal festivals. 



THE MAIDEN OF MATSAKI 



A Zuni Tale re-told from Cushing's Zuiii Folk-Tales. 

IN the days of the ancients, there lived in the 
village of Matsaki, a priest-chief who had 
great wealth, for he owned more buckskins and 
blankets than he could hang from the poles of 
his dwelling, and the portholes of his lodge were 
covered with turquoises and precious shells 
from the ocean. His lodge was the largest in 
the village, and his ladder-poles were tall and 
decorated with slabs of carved wood. 

Now, this priest-chief had two daughters. 
One was very beautiful, and all the young war- 
riors in the towns near-by loved her ; the other 
daughter was a witch-girl — powerful in evil. 

It happened that there was a young warrior 
of the Pueblos, whose thoughts were of the 
beautiful maiden, and after much effort, he se- 
cured a large bundle of gifts for her. One 
morning he said to his people: 

"I have thoughts of the beautiful Matsaki 
maiden. I would seek her." And his people 
answered: "It is well." 

So the young brave set out with his bundle 
toward the Zuhi village, and just at sunset, he 

63 



64 



JOYFUL STAR 



reached the lodge of the priest-chief. He lifted 
the corner of the mat, which formed the door, 
and shouted to the people below: 
"She!" 

"Hai!" they called back to him. Then the 
maiden's mother helped him down the ladder, 
and after they had given him food and the 
crumbs had been swept away, the old father 
said: 

"When a stranger enters the lodge of an- 
other, it is not thinking of nothing that he en- 
ters." 

And the young brave, looking toward his 
bundle, answered: 

"It was with thoughts of your daughter, that 
I came." 

"Listen, my daughter," the old man said to 
the maiden, who was looking down at the beaded 
fringe on her belt, "what think you?" 

"If my people think thus, I say 'be it well,' " 
the maiden replied. Later, when the old peo- 
ple were asleep in the corner, the beautiful 
Matsaki maiden said to the youth : 

"It is true, I have said, 'be it well'; but in 
order that I may know whether thou dost love 
me, I would test thee. If thou canst hoe my 
corn-field by the river in a single morning, not 
driven from thy determination by anything 
whatsoever, then will I know that I have thy 



THE MAIDEN OF MATSAKI 65 



love. I will accept thy bundle, and we shall be 
happy together." Then she directed him to a 
room where he might sleep, and pointed to a 
hoe in the corner near the door. 

' 6 Wait happily until morning,' ' she said as 
good-night. 

Now, the young brave felt this to be a very 
easy task, a simple piece of work that he must 
perform in order to prove his constancy and 
love; for the maiden had said "not driven from 
thy determination by anything whatsoever.'" 
At the first dawn of day, he shouldered his hoe 
and set out for the corn-field by the river, where 
he was soon working with all speed, for there 
was much to be done before the sun would stand 
high in the heavens over him. 

The Matsaki maiden soon looked down from 
the house-top upon the youth working in the 
corn-field far below. 

' ' Ah, I doubt that he loves me as much as he 
thinks he does," she thought. Then she went 
into an inner room where, down in a corner, 
stood a beautifully-painted water jar. It was 
not as other water jars, for it contained may- 
flies, and gnats and mosquitoes. The maiden 
lifted the stone cover and addressed them 
gently. 

"My children," she said, "in a corn-field by 
the river, is a young brave, stripped as for a 



66 



JOYFUL STAR 



race. Go to him, my children ! Bite him, sting 
him — his ears, his eyelids, — spare no part of 
him ! ' ' 

And the insects answered her: " Tsu-nu-nu! 
Tsi-ni-ni!" and flew away and stung the youth, 
until he dropped his hoe and rolled in the 
dust. Then he tried to work, but to no pur- 
pose, the stinging flies almost crazed him, and 
at last, he seized his blanket and ran away to 
the home of his father. And the may-flies, and 
the gnats, and mosquitoes returned to the magic 
jar, to the care of the beautiful maiden. 

The young warriors, about the country, heard 
of how poorly the youth from the Pueblo town 
had fared, and one thought: 6 6 That one is but 
a child to run away from his task, driven by 
stinging insects." And to his people he said: 
"I will visit the Matsaki maiden and show peo- 
ple what / can do. ' ' 

6 6 It is well," they answered him. So this 
youth bravely started out with his bundle of 
gifts, but he fared no better than the others had 
done. Following him, there came to Matsaki, 
braves from all the surrounding towns, but 
they, one and all, met with the same experience. 
No matter how strong was their courage when 
they began the work, they could not withstand 
the stinging insects. 

There was one youth, however, whose 
thoughts were continually of the beautiful 



THE MAIDEN OF MATSAKI 67 



Matsaki maiden. He was a very poor youth. 
One day, when he felt that he could bear it no 
longer, he went to his grandmother and said: 

"The longing I have for this maiden will kill 
me. I do not wonder that she asks such hard 
tasks of her lovers. It is not for their bundles 
that she cares, but for their devotion." 

"You will only fare as others have done, my 
son," the old woman answered. "Yet, if thou 
art determined to go, know that it is she who 
sends these stinging insects to torment the 
youths who would woo her." 

"But, grandmother," the youth replied, "she 
may have better thoughts toward me. I care 
not to live merely to breathe hard with long- 
ing!" 

"Then, my child, if you must go, first seek in 
the mountain the finger-root, scrape its bark, 
and make a little loaf of it and hide it in thy 
belt. Then when thou art heated by thy work 
in the corn-field, rub carefully over thy body, 
this bitter bark. The flies will not bite thee, 
and although the gnats and mosquitoes may 
make much noise with their humming , they will 
not attack thee, for they eat not such bitter 
food." 

Greatly cheered by this counsel of his wise 
old grandmother, the youth made up a small 
bundle of gifts, and having prepared the little 
loaf of bitter bark as his grandmother had di- 



68 



JOYFUL STAR 



rected, lie set out foir the home of the beautiful 
maiden. When he, at last, climbed the ladder 
and shouted down the greeting, the old people 
would not answer, for they were angry with 
their daughter for sending away so many 
suitors. 

Again the youth shouted, and this time they 
answered: "Hai!" They did not help him 
down the ladder; but he did not mind, for his 
bundle was very small, and he felt himself poor, 
indeed. 

The youth did not wait for the usual cere- 
monies, but at once began to explain his com- 
ing; but the maiden interrupted him, by plac- 
ing food before him. She looked at him, and in 
her heart she felt that he was more desirable 
than any of the others, and she hoped that he 
would stand the test. 

After the crumbs were brushed away, the old 
man smoked and talked longer with him than 
he had with the other youths, as if he, too, were 
more favourably impressed. 

Later, when the old people were sleeping 
soundly, the youth and the maiden sat in the 
fire-light, and the maiden said: 

"I have a corn-field down by the river. I 
would have thee hoe this field for me in a single 
morning. Thus would I test thy love. If thou 
canst do this thing, it may be that we will live 
together happily, as day follows day." 



THE MAIDEN OF MATSAKI 69 



And the youth smiled, and the maiden watch- 
ing him, thought: "But, oh! how I wish that 
his heart might be strong enough — even though 
his bundle be not heavy ! ' ' 

Early in the morning the youth took the hoe 
and hastened to the corn-field. He found much 
of the work done, because so many lovers had 
worked there. As the sun rose high in the 
heavens, the youth cast off his blanket, think- 
ing: "Soon there will be coming the stinging 
gnats and the insects." So he went aside, as 
if to rest in the shade, and carefully rubbed the 
bitter bark over every particle of his body, even 
to his eyelids, and his ears. Then with a light 
heart, he returned to his labour. 

Now all this time, the maiden had lingered in 
the inner room, near the magic water jar. 
"Why should I hope? Why should I care! 
One could not love me enough to endure such a 
test!" Then she reluctantly opened the water 
jar and ordered the stinging flies to attack the 
stranger. 

"And spare no part of him," she added, de- 
termined to make as severe a test of him as she 
had of the others. Then, with gloomy fore- 
bodings, she climbed to the house-top to watch 
and wait. She saw him working, never paus- 
ing. 

"Ah ! indeed it must be that he is very brave ! 
It must be that he loves me ! Only for a little 



70 



JOYFUL STAR 



longer, my beloved, will they attack thee: only 
for a little longer, and then thou wilt be at 
peace. Now, I will make ready the meal for 
thee, my beloved, and carry it to thee. ' ' 

Blithely the Matsaki maiden hastened her 
preparations, never dreaming that her day of 
happiness was to be but as a brief winter's day. 
And when all was in readiness she dressed her- 
self in her finest holiday clothes. Then with her 
tray of food, she started for the corn-field, sing- 
ing a light, happy song. She was going to meet 
her husband, — that one of all others, so strong, 
so brave, that he could endure the test ! So she 
lightly advanced, her necklaces and bracelets of 
shells, and her ear-rings of turquoises glitter- 
ing in the sunlight, the breezes stirring her 
white, cotton gown with its border of butter- 
flies. 

The youth watching her, as he rested with his 
task completed, felt that the Great Spirit had 
been kind indeed to him ; and as she came near 
to him, with her tray of food, he dropped his 
glance to the ground. 

The world about these two happy ones was 
turning grey and cold with sorrow and gloom; 
but they saw it not. Was it because the Great 
Spirit would punish the maiden for her pride! 
Who can tell! 

Now, the witch-sister hovered near them — un- 
seen. 



THE MAIDEN OF MAT SAKE 71 



Her heart was filled with bitterness and 
hate because of the happiness of her beautiful 
sister. And she said: "We shall see/' And 
by her magical power, she transformed herself 
into a maiden of the exact likeness of her sister, 
and when the youth looked up from the ground, 
there before him stood two maidens, alike in 
every way. 

His beloved said: "Eat," and as she spoke, 
the other uttered the same words in the same 
voice. 

He looked from one to the other, bewildered. 
"Alas! from which tray shall I eat?" 

Then his beloved saw that other. "Thou 
wicked one, why didst thou come?" And the 
witch-sister retorted in the same tone, "Thou 
wicked one, why didst thou come?" In the 
end, the two maidens fought, and the youth 
struck out with his hoe, thinking to hurt that 
evil one. 

One of the maidens fell to the ground, — the 
one whom he had struck. He saw her dying 
before him, and in the air above him circled a 
black crow, that laughed "Kawkaw! Kaw- 
kaw!' 9 

The youth knelt beside the maiden and bathed 
the blood from her forehead, and she talked to 
him, and smiled. Then her lips grew still and 
I cold. And the youth knelt beside her, holding 
her body, and weeping. 



72 



JOYFUL STAR 



"Alas, alas! my beautiful wife, I loved thee, 
I love thee. Alas, alas!" 

Then when darkness had settled upon 
Matsaki, the people found them, And they 
wrapped the maiden in her mantles and buried 
her in front of the House of the Sun. The 
youth ever sat beside her grave, mourning: 
6 i Alas, alas! I loved thee, my beautiful wife. 
I did not know thee, and I killed thee! Alas, 
alas!" 

Then, when the great star rose from star- 
land, the spirit of the maiden came to comfort 
him. "Do not wait beside my grave, mourn- 
ing for me, my beloved, but return to thine own 
land!" And then sadly she said to him: 
' i Alas, my husband ! Thou didst not know me 
from that other. Thou didst not love me. I 
had hoped for thy love." And sorrowing thus, 
the spirit disappeared. 

Night after night, the spirit of the maiden 
came to comfort the youth. Then one night she 
said: "I must go to the land of the Spirits 
now. I would have thee return to thine own 
people. But if thou shouldst follow me, know 
that the way is a hard one for mortals. Yet, 
it may be, if thou lovest me, that thou shalt 
find me in the end. Seek, therefore, small 
feathers and plume many prayer-sticks. 
Choose one small feather and colour it red, and 
tie it to my forehead. In the daytime as I 



THE MAIDEN OF MATSAKI 73 



journey, thou wilt be able to follow the red 
feather, for I shall not be visible to thee." 

The next day, the youth prepared the prayer- 
sticks, as the maiden had directed, and among 
them he placed the feather he had dyed red. 
And that night when the spirit appeared to him, 
he fastened it to her forehead, and they sat 
together until the grey light of the morning. 
Then he could see her no more, but before him, 
wavered the red feather in the early morning 
breeze. All that day the youth followed the 
red feather, and when his steps faltered from 
weariness, the feather passed on, and left him 
far behind. In vain he searched for the red 
feather, but it was lost to him. 

"Ah, my beautiful wife, where art thou?" 
he called. Soon in the distance he saw the red 
feather waiting for him. In this way they 
journeyed on until in the darkness of the night 
they reached a forest of cedar trees ; there again 
the red feather vanished. 

Again, he called : i 6 My beautiful wife, where 
art thou!" and calling thus, he struggled on, 
until, at last, he saw in the distance a light 
glowing. 

He ran forward, lurching and stumbling, and 
when he reached the hill-top, he found the spirit 
maiden waiting for him. 

She smiled kindly at him and said: 
"Comest thou?" and he sat beside her, and in 



74: 



JOYFUL STAR 



his great weariness fell asleep; but she slept 
not, for she was a spirit. 

Before daybreak, they started upon their 
journey, and as the night died away, the form 
of the maiden grew fainter and ever fainter 
before him, and then all the youth could see 
was the little red feather moving steadily for- 
ward. That day there was a plain of lava to 
be crossed, and crags, and a wide bed of cactus, 
and at night, while the youth, torn and bleed- 
ing, and weary, was drawing the cactus thorns 
from his body, the spirit maiden seemed to pity 
him. 

"My lover, my husband, turn back, for the 
way is a rough, untrodden one for mortals. I 
go to the Council of the Dead. A mortal can- 
not enter there. ' ' And the youth wept. 

"Ah, but I love thee so," he said, "I cannot 
turn away from thee." 

She smiled at him sadly. "To-morrow is the 
last day of our journey," she said, "then I shall 
leave thee to go down into the waters where 
stands the Ladder of Others. There shalt thou 
await me." 

The next day on the journey, the red feather 
drifted lightly across a deep canon, and when 
the youth reached the side and saw that there 
was no way for him to cross, he cried out in 
despair to the little feather moving farther and 
farther away: 



THE MAIDEN OF MATSAKI 75 



" Alas, my beautiful wife ! Only wait for me, 
for I love thee and I cannot turn from thee!" 

Then the feather paused; but still there 
seemed no way for the youth to cross the canon. 
So, in despair he threw himself from the side 
and clung to the edge. Here he would have 
been destroyed t if it had not been for two 
friendly little squirrels, who caused a magical 
hemlock tree to grow across the canon like a 
bridge. The youth hastily crossed and sped 
after the red feather. There was no moment 
to rest, for the feather floated on, and just as 
the sun went down, the feather hastened into a 
valley between two mountains. There beside a 
lake, an old man and an old woman received 
her, and then she fearlessly entered the waters 
and there came up out of the water a ladder of 
flags to receive her. The maiden disappeared 
in the water, and a bright light shone from the 
lake where she had entered. 

The youth, far behind, saw her enter the lake. 
He ran along, stumbling at every step in his 
great weariness, and when, at last, he reached 
the water near the bright light, he called to 
her: 

"Alas, my beautiful wife ! Only wait for me. 
It may be that I can go with thee. ' ' But there 
was no answer. And he sat down beside the 
water and mourned. ' ' I did not know thee, my 
beautiful wife, and I killed thee. Alas, alas!" 



76 JOYFUL STAR 

Toward the middle of the night, the youth 
heard happy voices and laughter. The door- 
way to the land of spirits opened, and the light 
shone out through the water. Then the youth 
saw the ladder, and the forms of the dead pass- 
ing in and out. And once more he tried to gain 
the entrance, but the cold, dark waters closed 
about him, and he could not find the way. Once 
he caught sight of the bright, beautiful place 
beneath. And there with happy maidens and 
youths, he saw his wife, and she seemed to have 
forgotten him, — that lonely one on earth, who 
had followed her to the border land of the 
Spirits. He crawled to the shore, filled with 
despair. 

Suddenly, above him, an owl spoke. "Come 
with me, ' ' the owl said, ' ' and I will help thee. ' ' 
So the youth wondering, followed the owl, who 
led the way into a great hall in the mountain, 
where the owl tribes lived. There the owl 
sprinkled the medicine of sleep upon him, say- 
ing: 

"When thou awakest, thou wilt find thyself 
upon a trail near thy home. Before thee, thy 
wife will journey. Now follow my commands 
closely, so that thou shalt have thy wife with 
thee again, and many years shalt thou live to- 
gether, if only thou wilt obey me. Do not touch 
the maiden even with thy hand, until she has 
become a mortal." The youth promised that 



THE MAIDEN OF MATSAKI 77 



he would faithfully keep the command of the 
owl, and then he fell fast asleep. 

When he awoke, he found himself on the 
homeward trail, and before him, journeyed his 
wife. And the youth remembered the command 
of the owl and did not touch the spirit maiden 
with his hand. And they were happy, for it 
seemed that their life like a great light was 
before them. When they were near their own 
village, the maiden having the weariness of 
mortals, slept. And the youth, watching her, 
forgot the commands of the owl and sud- 
denly bent over her and kissed her. 

Then the spirit maiden awoke. "How vain 
that I should have hoped that thou didst love 
me, ' ' she said, and disappeared. 

The youth covered his head in shame, and 
from a tree-top nearby, an owl hooted' mourn- 
fully. 

And thus ends the story. 



THE LOVE OF CUSI-COYLLUR — JOYFUL STAR 



A PERUVIAN DRAMA-LEGEND 

THE Inca, Pachaeutic, had a beautiful 
daughter, Cusi-Coyllur — Joyful Star. 
The child had grown to womanhood and as yet 
had not been pledged in marriage. 

Until the day when Joyful Star first saw 
Ollanta, her life had been one of peaceful con- 
tent with her mother. This day she was wan- 
dering heart-free in her garden, when she came 
upon him. Cusi-Coyllur saw at once by his 
dress that he was one of the chieftains; and 
Ollanta, for the first time, saw the princess 
Joyful Star, whose beauty and grace were so 
celebrated in song. Behold, they loved. 

Now both Ollanta and Cusi-Coyllur knew 
that their love was not lawful. For a chieftain 
with no royal blood in his veins had no right to 
aspire to the hand or the love of a daughter of 
the Inca. So they kept their love secret. 

At length Joyful Star became the wife of 
Ollanta, and no one knew. They were happy 
now, but in the midst of their happiness Ollanta 
was sent upon an expedition by the Inca, who 
had no suspicion of their marriage. 

78 



THE LOVE OF CUSI-COYLLUR 79 



With Ollanta absent, Joyful Star grew sad 
and silent, and at last, sorrowing over her lone- 
liness, she confessed to her mother her love and 
her marriage. 

One day Ollanta returned to her. "We must 
have our marriage declared publicly,' ' he said. 

"It may be that my father will have us put 
to death,' ' Cusi-Coyllur objected. So it seemed 
better to gain the consent of the Inca before 
making their marriage known. 

So Ollanta, seeking an audience with the 
Inca, bravely declared his love for Cusi- 
Coyllur, and asked the Inca's gracious consent 
to their marriage. But his pleading was met 
with scorn, and Ollanta, defying him, left his 
presence to raise the standard of rebellion. 

Now Ollanta was a powerful chieftain and 
soon had caused a general uprising of mal- 
contents, who looked to him to establish a new 
order of rule. After long warfare Ollanta was 
victorious, in the end defeating one of the royal 
generals. 

This being accomplished, there was oppor- 
tunity to flee to some place of safety with Cusi- 
Coyllur, and there to live their life of happiness 
free from all danger. But Cusi-Coyllur had 
disappeared! No one could tell Ollanta where 
she was, whether she were dead or alive. 
Search where he might, not the slightest trace 
of her could be found. So the years passed. 



80 



JOYFUL STAR 



Now it happened that in the midst of the con- 
fusion of war and bloodshed, Cusi-Coyllur — 
Joyful Star — had given birth to a daughter. 
Ollanta, leading the rebel forces could not give 
her protection, and Joyful Star knew that her 
father would inflict punishment upon her, per- 
haps the severest torture, when he discovered 
the truth. But, at least, she possessed those 
first joys of motherhood — whatever might come 
to her, he could not take from her those hours 
when she held her baby to her bosom. 

"How beautiful !" she whispered. "Why, 
that shall be her name ! ' ' And so the child was 
called Yma Sumac, How Beautiful. 

Then her punishment swiftly descended upon 
Cusi-Coyllur. The child was taken from her — 
her baby, How Beautiful. Had she been put 
to death? No one vouchsafed a word to the 
frantic mother. She scarcely noticed that they 
had placed her in a dungeon in the dark con- 
vent. Where was her child, her daughter? 
Where was Ollanta, her husband? She 
crouched on the floor of the dungeon, groaning 
and sobbing. And so time dragged wearily 
along until years had passed. 

Yma Sumac, How Beautiful, had been taken 
to the same convent to be reared. Mother and 
child were within the same walls, each ignorant 
of the presence of the other. This was a part 
of the punishment of Cusi-Coyllur that the 



THE LOVE OF CUSI-COYLLUR 81 



Inca had pronounced upon her. As Yma 
Sumac grew old enough to play in the convent 
garden, she would very often hear moans and 
sobs from some place within the walls. The 
child would approach the wall and listen, her 
heart rilled with a strange unrest and pain. 
At last she went to her guardian, Pitu Salla. 

' 6 While I am at play in the garden there come 
to me strange sounds like some one groaning 
and sobbing. And I am rilled with longing to 
go to that one in sorrow. It is some woman. 
Who is that one so sorrowful? Something tells 
me that I know her. ' ' 

But Pitu Salla evaded the questions. Much 
as she loved Yma Sumac, much as she desired 
to bring mother and child together again, there 
was always present before her the threats of 
terrible tortures and death made by the Inca 
when he gave these two into her keeping. No, 
Yma Sumac should never know; Cusi-Coyllur 
should never know ; her days in the dreary dun- 
geon must wearily pass, filled with pain and 
longing. 

As Yma Sumac grew older it became more 
difficult to evade her questions and to resist her 
pleadings. At last, in despair, Pitu Salla told 
her the story of her mother, Cusi-Coyllur, Joy- 
ful Star. 

Yma Sumac's pleadings to be allowed to 
go to her mother were now continuous and 



82 



JOYFUL STAR 



heartbreaking. But Pitu Salla feared the 
Inca too much to allow this. 

Just at this time, however, came the word 
that the Inca was dead and that Yupanqui, his 
son, Cusi-Coyllur 's brother, had succeeded him. 
Then Pitu Salla hastened to grant the prayer 
of the child. 

No word of this was told to Cusi-Coyllur, 
who throughout the long days and weeks and 
years had mourned for her child and for 
Ollanta. Pitu Salla led the child to her 
mother's dungeon and opened the door. Yma 
Sumac stepped softly over the threshold. 
There before her was the sorrowful one, her 
mother. 

"My mother,' 7 she said ever so gently. And 
then Cusi-Coyllur held her child in her arms 
once again. 

"Yma Sumac, my child, my daughter!" 
she whispered again and again. 

Throughout all these years Ollanta had been 
vainly searching for Cusi-Coyllur, Joyful Star. 
But no trace of her could he discover. And 
when the death of the Inca caused another up- 
rising, Ollanta again led the revolutionists, de- 
termined to gain power, at least long enough 
to find Cusi-Coyllur. But this time defeat 
came to Ollanta, and he with many others was 
taken prisoner. 



THE LOVE OF CUSI-COYLLUR 83 



When Yupanqui, the new Inca, heard of 
Ollanta 's capture, he had the prisoner brought 
before him, for he had long known of the mar- 
riage of his sister and Ollanta, and had wished 
to bring them together again. 

The Inca had just given Ollanta his freedom, 
when there came before him the little maiden, 
Yma Sumac, How Beautiful. In her earnest- 
ness she knelt before the Inca, not noticing the 
presence of Ollanta, and pleaded for her 
mother's freedom, and that they might be per- 
mitted to live together. She told Yupanqui of 
their long years of imprisonment and how, now 
that she had been restored to her mother since 
the death of the Inca, her mother had but one 
sorrow and that was for Ollanta, her husband. 

Yupanqui placed the child in Ollanta's arms. 
"This is your father, my child,' ' he said. 
' 1 This is Ollanta. And now we will go to your 
mother Cusi-Coyllur. " 

There in the convent prison, Cusi-Coyllur 
and Ollanta found each other. Their child, 
Yma Sumac, How Beautiful, had brought them 
together, and the great darkness of Cusi- 
Coyllur 's life gave place to gleaming sunshine. 



HOW GENETASKA DESERTED HER TRUST 



An Iroquois Legend re-told from Canfield's Legends of the 
Iroquois as told by the Cornplanter. 

FAE away in the deep forest, within reach 
of all the nations of the confederacy, the 
Iroquois had built them a wigwam with a door 
opening on each side, so that one could enter 
from whatever direction he might travel. This 
was not as other wigwams; it was to the Iro- 
quois the Kienuka, the peace home, to which 
any of their people might go and find peace. 

In this place, it was, that the red men found 
peace and sweet contentment, and returned to 
their wigwams, their hearts filled with a 
high purpose: for they had been in the deep 
forest where the power of the Great Spirit was 
all-pervading; they had been in the place of 
peace. 

Here, in Kienuka, there came to dwell the 
maiden Genetaska, the wisest, the gentlest, the 
fairest, maiden of all the nations that made up 
the confederacy. 

To this wigwam in the forest, there came, one 
day, two hunters to lay their dispute before the 
peace maiden and to abide by her decision. 

84 



GENETASKA DESERTED HER TRUST 85 



And they told the maiden that they had killed 
a mighty buck in the forest, and each one said: 
1 ' My arrow it was that killed him. ' ' And after 
they had rested in that place of peace, the 
maiden Genetaska said to them: 

4 'The animal which ye have killed is large 
and will be a plentiful supply for the families 
of both. So, my brothers, let each one take 
half to his wigwam, to his wife and children." 

"The Oneida hath only the old people of his 
village to provide for," one hunter quickly re- 
plied. "The hunter's wigwam is lonely in his 
Oneida village; for he hath never seen any 
maiden whom he would ask to make his mocca- 
sins, or to spread his blanket, or to keep his fire 
burning in his wigwam. No one of all the Iro- 
quois maidens hath he seen until he looked upon 
thee, Genetaska, and heard the contentment in 
thy voice." 

The other hunter did not allow the maiden 
an opportunity to make an answer to the 
Oneida. "The Onondaga once had a wigwam 
where dwelt happiness and cheer," he said, 
"but death claimed his wife and his children, 
and long hath gloom and desolation abided 
there. And now, the Onondaga hath seen 
Genetaska, and his heart is filled with the hope 
that she will come to his wigwam and drive 
away the gloom and the loneliness, and bring 
the sunlight back again." 



86 



JOYFUL STAR 



"My brothers, " the maiden answered ear- 
nestly, i ' Genetaska was chosen by the people to 
live here in the forest with the three aged 
women, who care for her. She hath been set 
apart by her people to comfort those who are 
troubled, to bring peace to those who have strife 
in their hearts. Genetaska lives alone in the 
forest where the Great Spirit directs her work. 
Her place is in this home of peace, not in the 
wigwam of another. So, my brothers, seek ye 
other maidens." 

Then the hunters departed from the place of 
peace in the forest, and Genetaska was left 
alone in the stillness of the deep wood. But in 
the maiden's heart there grew a longing and 
unrest. Look wherever she might, she saw 
the form of the Oneida hunter as he said : 

6 6 The Oneida hath seen no maiden whom he 
would ask to keep the fires of his wigwam 
bright, or make his moccasins, or spread his 
blanket." And ever the desire possessed her 
heart to do these things for him. 

"0, that I might wait in the door of the wig- 
wam of that one, watching for him." 

When the Autumn moon looked down upon 
the forest where the maiden listened to the 
counsel of the Great Spirit, and directed the 
ways of those who came to her, there appeared, 



GENETASKA. DESERTED HER TRUST 87 



one day, the Oneida hunter, who had ever filled 
her heart with longing since that day in the 
early summer, when he had looked upon her 
with desire in his eyes. 

* 4 Ever hath the heart of the Oneida been 
heavy with longing for the maiden Genetaska," 
he said, 6 1 and he hath built a wigwam far from 
the land of the Iroquois. Here he hath pre- 
pared a home for Genetaska, and now he would 
take her to that far-away place. "Will the 
peace-maiden leave the lonely forest? Will 
Genetaska go with the Oneida 1 ' ' 

And Genetaska, forgetting her trust, forget- 
ting her purpose in the forest, forgetting that 
she had pledged her life to the people, — remem- 
bered only the great love she bore the hunter. 
She placed her hand in his and said simply : 

" Genetaska will go with the Oneida to the 
far-away home in the sun land. ' ' 

And so, Genetaska left the quiet forest, left 
the wigwam where the troubled children of the 
Great Spirit might find peace. And when, one 
day, two braves sped to the peace house, anger 
burning within them, and found the place silent 
and deserted, they attacked each other upon 
the threshold, and fought until death claimed 
them. But they had stained the sacred place 
with blood. Nevermore would this spot be a 
refuge for those in distress: nevermore would 



88 



JOYFUL STAR 



the weary be comforted here : nevermore would 
the troubled find peace. 

For Genetasha had deserted the place of 
refuge: GenetasJca had forsaken her trust! 



THE RESCUE OF ARSELIK 



AN ALGONQUIN TALE 

LONG ago, there was a time when the maid- 
ens of the Wabanaki might seek and try 
to win the brave they loved. At such a time, 
this was not thought overbold in maidens; for 
it was the custom. 

Long ago, in such a time, there was a Waban- 
aki village on the shore of a beautiful lake. 
Here there lived one so brave and so pleasing 
to look upon, that many maidens of the tribe 
had tried to win his heart; but they had tried 
in vain. His heart was in another's keeping, 
but this they knew not. 

It happened, one day, that two maidens 
sought him. The brave shook his head and 
said: 

"My heart is in another's keeping. Long 
ago a maiden held my love. Her, only, will I 
wed. ' ' 

"Who is this maiden, then?" they demanded. 

"The maiden Arselik," the brave answered. 
"She holds my heart in her keeping." 

The maidens left him, but anger dwelt in 
their hearts. They said: "It may be that we 

89 



90 



JOYFUL STAR 



can hide this maiden, Arselik, or dispose of 
her in some way. Then we may win that brave, 
perchance; for of all those who hnnt the deer 
or the wild moose, this one is the most desired 
by all the maidens of this Wabanaki village. ' ' 

Then the two maidens made a pretence of 
great friendship for that happy maiden, Ar- 
selik. And when they asked her to go with them 
in their canoe, she unsuspectingly consented. 

' ' Come with us in our canoe, and we will 
visit the beautiful islands, yonder,' ' they said 
to her. But to each other, they said: "We 
will take her to a distant island and leave her 
there to starve.' ' 

Willingly the maiden went with them, and 
merrily passed the moments in song, or in the 
telling of some old tale, the maidens contin- 
ually paddling their canoe toward an island far 
beyond those the maiden Arselik had thought 
to visit. 

Then into the heart of Arselik there entered 
a great, unnamed fear. She begged of the 
maidens to point the canoe toward their own 
village. But they did not listen to her. Soon 
they landed on a lonely island, saying: 

"We will build a fire." They started in dif- 
ferent directions to gather fuel, and when 
Arselik had turned her back, the two hastened 
to the canoe, leaving that one who held the 
heart of the young brave in her keeping. 



THE RESCUE OP ARSELIK 91 



She called to them, but they turned deaf ears 
to her call, singing gay songs as they swiftly 
passed over the water. Then Arselik knew the 
wickedness that dwelt in their hearts. From 
a high rock she watched them disappear over 
the water, and then she cried. As she wept, 
there came to her these thoughts, and she put 
them into song. 

"Now I am left on this lonely island to die, 
No one to hear the sound of my voice. 
Who will bury me when I die ? 
"Who will sing my death song for me ? 

My false friends leave me here 

To die alone; 

Like a wild beast, 

I am left on this island to die. 

I wish the wind spirit 

Would carry my cry to my love ! 

My love is as swift as the deer ! 
He would speed through the forest 
To find me. 

Now I am left on this lonely island to die. 
I wish the spirits of the air 
Would carry my breath to my love. 

My love's canoe, like the sunlight, 
Would shoot through the water 
To my side. 



92 



JOYFUL STAR 



But I am left on this lonely island to die, 
With no one to pity me 
But the little birds. 

My love is brave and strong ; 
But when he hears my fate, 
His stout heart will break. 

And I am on this lonely island to die. 

Now the night comes on, 

And all is silent but the owl. 

He sings a mournful song to his mate, 

In pity for me. 

I will try to sleep. I wish 
The night spirit to hear my song; 
He will tell my love of my fate, 
And when I awake, I shall see 
The one I love. 

I am on this lonely island to die. ' ' 

That same night, the young brave dreamed 
about a Culloo, — a giant bird with a hundred 
claws, whose power was so great that with one 
claw, he could carry away a whole village-full 
of people to his own country beyond the stars. 

The young brave dreamed that the Culloo 
carried him high up in the sky, so that he could 
see the whole world beneath him. There on a 
lonely island, he saw his loved one sleeping 
upon a rock. Then he awoke. He knew that 



THE RESCUE OF ARSELIK 93 



she had called to him to save her, and that the 
spirits of the night air had carried her cry to 
him in his sleep. He entered his canoe and 
paddled to the island he had seen in his dream. 
There he found that one who held his heart in 
her keeping. 

"I asked the wind spirits and the spirits of 
the night air to carry my cry to thee, and be- 
hold ! thou art here, ' ' she said. 

The young brave carried Arselik back to 
their tribe, and great were the rejoicings over 
her return. And as soon as the wedding feast 
could be prepared, they were married. Then, 
was Arselik safe from the snares of those who 
were wicked in heart. 

As for those two maidens who had left 
Arselik on the lonely island to die, they departed 
from that Wabanaki village by the beautiful 
lake and were never heard of after. 

Thus the story ends. 



A SONG OF THE TAENSA 

4 'fTlIKAENS, thou buildest a house, thou 
X bringest thy wife to live in it. 

Thou art married, Tikaens, thou art married. 

Thou wilt become famous; thy children will 

name thee among the elders. 
Think of Tikaens as an old man! 

By what name is thy bride known ? 
Is she beautiful? Are her eyes soft 
as the light of the moon? 

Is she a strong woman? Didst thou 
Understand her signs during the dance? 

I know not whether thou lovest her, Tikaens. 

What said the old man, her father, 

When thou askest for his pretty daughter? 

What betrothal presents didst thou give? 

Rejoice, Tikaens! be glad, be happy! 
Build thyself a happy home. 

This is the song of its building. 

94 



I h N0 TE 

authors (i S83) 
E. X p " 



flsfiT euoiiuq 



t( ,, {- UMM%Hod'K e'liatifffl aioi'l 



HOW THE FIRST BATTLE CAME TO BE 
FOUGHT 



A Legend of the Wintun of Sacramento Valley, re-told from 
C. M. Skinner's American Myths and Legends. 

IN the early days of the world, there lived the 
maiden Norwan. She was as fair as the 
dawn. All alone in her wigwam lived the 
maiden, and she danced all the day long — so 
light of heart was she. 

From one end of the land to the other, the 
youths heard of the happy-hearted Norwan, and 
they sought her. But to none of them would 
she listen. At last, Norbis, the South Dweller, 
the son of the white oak, sought her, and Nor- 
wan looked with favour upon him. She did not 
send him away, as she had done the others. 

Then Norbis made great festivities for the 
wedding. Every one from all the country 
round came to the wedding feast of Norwan, 
the light of heart. The Tedewin, the bird 
brothers, careless youths were there. In the 
dances, Norwan, as light-hearted and as gay as 
the Tedewin, danced with them again and again, 
little caring about the sullen looks of Norbis. 
At last, when Norbis could bear the treat- 

95 



96 



JOYFUL STAR 



ment of Norwan no longer, he determined to 
take her from those bold, yonng braves. Nor- 
bis went in search of Norwan, bnt she was 
nowhere to be seen. The Tedewin had dis- 
appeared, Norwan was gone! Then Norbis 
called all the people together. 

"The Tedewin have carried Norwan away," 
he said. ' ' They have stolen her from me, even 
on the night of her marriage. Let us pursue 
them, and rescue her. ' ' 

All, at once, set out in pursuit of Norwan. 
And when they reached the land across the 
river from the village of the Tedewin, they 
found all the Tedewin tribe assembled for 
battle. 

"Give up Norwan to us!" Norbis called out 
across the river. 

"No, we will not do that," the Tedewin 
called back. "Norwan came to us of her own 
wish. We did not steal her. If we should give 
her up, what would hinder her from coming to 
us again?" 

Then the followers of Norbis crossed the 
river, and for two days they fought. For two 
days they fought without food. For two days 
the snow and sleet fell about them like a white 
blanket, covering many killed and wounded upon 
the ground, and chilling the hungry, weary 
warriors until they lost their love for battle. 
And some asked : 



THE FIRST BATTLE 



97 



"Why do we carry on warfare?" And 
others answered: ' ' It is to rescue the maiden 
Norwan. ' ' 

Then the Tedewin looked for Norwan, and 
behold! Norwan had fled with her husband 
Norbis. 

"Had I not danced with those Tedewin 
brothers," Norwan said to her husband, "there 
would have been no killing, there would have 
been no warfare." 

Thus it was that the maiden, Norwan, 
brought all this woe upon the earth. It would 
have been a good world, but for her, that care- 
less, happy-hearted one ! 



MISS POUND-THE-STONES 



A Maya Legend re-told from Brinton's Essays of an Ameri- 
canist. 

IN" the forests of Yucatan, there once lived a 
maiden who surpassed all others in loveli- 
ness of face and form. And even as that one 
excelled all maidens in beauty, so also did she 
exceed them in the wickedness of her heart. 
She was called Miss Pound-the-Stones, because 
she would pound upon the stones to attract peo- 
ple to her. But woe be to that one who an- 
swered her call ! 

Once, it happened, that a youth travelling 
alone, toward the close of the day, saw a won- 
derfully beautiful maiden near him. He had 
never seen any one so lovely. He hastened his 
steps that he might be near her, but to his as- 
tonishment the maiden moved as quickly as he, 
and kept the same distance between them. 
Just as he was about to slacken his pace, and 
put the thought of her out of his mind, he 
heard from in front of him, the sound as of 
some one tapping upon stones. 

"That must be Miss Pound-the-Stones," the 
youth thought. "Ah! but Miss Pound-the- 

98 



MISS POUND-THE-STONES 



99 



Stones is a wicked fairy. She is not a beautiful 
maiden. One so evil as that wicked one could 
never be so innocent and alluring as this 
maiden is." He hurried after the maiden still 
more eagerly, because she had tapped upon the 
stones to attract him to her. 

The maiden moved toward the forest, and the 
youth followed her as ardently as a hunter pur- 
sues his game. Far in the deep forest he over- 
took her and clasped her in his arms. But, 
even as the youth touched the maiden her beau- 
tiful body become transformed into a thorny 
bush, which pierced him with its poison needles. 
The dainty feet that had sped before him be- 
came sharp claws which rent the flesh from his 
body. 

Torn and bleeding, the youth painfully 
journeyed homeward amazed that one so allur- 
ing could have been at heart a bush of poison 
thorns. And the youth betook himself to his 
bed, the victim of a deadly fever. 

And thus it was that Miss Pound-the- Stones 
would lure to their death, thoughtless youths 
whose gaze pierced not through her loveliness. 

Thus it was, in the long ago, in the forests of 
Yucatan. 



THE MAIDEN WITH THE BEAUTIFUL FACE 
AND THE EVIL HEART 



An Algonquin Tale re-told from Kuloskap by Leland and 
Prince. 

LONG ago there was a large Indian village 
in a forest far from the sea. Here there 
dwelt a maiden of wonderful beauty, who was 
very proud. This the Indians knew; but they 
did not know that underneath her pride she 
was revengeful, and that she was wicked 
through and through. This the people did not 
know, for she was a witch. She was so power- 
ful that she was seven witches in one. And 
all this was deep in her heart. And no one 
knew her terrible secret, — none save the spirits, 
who hover silent and unseen about us. 

This one of so much beauty and so great 
power of wickedness loved a young brave, who 
also dwelt in that place. He was a mighty 
hunter. His heart was in the forest seeking 
the deer and the wild moose. It was not in any 
maiden's keeping. But of this the maiden lit- 
tle cared. She wished to be chosen for his wife ; 
and, at last, she thought: 

"I will go to him and tell him of my wish." 
100 



THE MAIDEN WITH THE EVIL HEART 101 



So one day, when the leaves were turning yel- 
low, and the time was nearing when the braves 
would set out for their winter's hunting in the 
far-off North, the maiden sought that one whom 
she loved. She found him alone in the deep 
forest, and there she told him her wish — not 
waiting to be sought as any other Indian 
maiden would have done. 

But the warrior's heart was in the far-off 
forest, where he would hunt the deer and the 
wild moose. The young brave looked at her in 
displeasure. 

1 ' Truly, no time have I for wooing," he said. 
"Soon to the far North I go with my com- 
panions, where we will hunt the deer and the 
wild moose. Now I am busy in making prep- 
arations. I have no time for wooing, no in- 
clination either have I. Seek ye another brave 
to listen to thy wooing." 

That one spoke to her with such indiffer- 
ence that the words stung her to scorn. She 
was filled with fury, and her love turned into 
hate. Her heart became cold and hard, like 
that of the terrible Chenoo in the far North. 
She drew away from him. 

"You may go upon your hunt to the far 
North, ' ' she replied, ' ' but you will never return 
as you departed." 

"I have no fear of your threats," that one 
answered. "I go to the far North with my 



102 



JOYFUL STAR 



companions, and if the Great Spirit will, I shall 
return to my people like as I was when I de- 
parted from them." 

Then the maiden left him, but she called back 
from the distance : 

6 ■ When the great change comes over you in 
the forest in the far away North-land, think of 
me and of these words of mine." 

The brave gave no heed to her threats, and 
both the maiden and the words she had spoken 
were forgotten. He set out for the far North 
with his companions. For many days joy 
lodged in his heart; for he was in the great 
forest with the still, white snow about him, 
and over all rested the silence of the Great 
Spirit. 

But there came a day in that forest in the 
North-land when madness seized him, for the 
maiden sent her witchery after him, and al- 
though so far away, she had wounded him with 
her sorcery. 

Now the older brother of the wounded one 
was a strong and powerful brave, who did not 
know fear, and he resolved to save his brother. 
He determined to attempt that one deed which 
only the bravest of the Wabanaki dare under- 
take. 

In the dark night, at the time when only 
ghosts and evil spirits of the forest are astir, 
the elder brother fearlessly left his wigwam 



THE MAIDEN WITH THE EVIL HEART 103 



and went to the river. And there he sang a 
song so powerful that it summoned Wi-wil- 
mekw, the Demon of the Worm— Wi-ivil-mekw, 
a terror even to devils. 

"I call on the Wi-wil-mekw, I call on the terrible One, 
On the One with the Horns, 
I dare him to appear!" 

the elder brother sang. 

At once the waters of the river parted, and 
the terrible One answered the call. 

' ' What is it thou wouldst have!" Wi-wil- 
mekw asked him. 

"My brother," the hunter replied, "a young 
brave, has been stricken with madness. I 
would have him made well. ' ' 

"Ah, well," answered Wi-wil-mekw, "thou 
shalt have thy desire, if thou hast no fear." 

"Fear," that one said, "is a stranger to 
me. I know him not." 

"Then hast thou not fear of me?" quickly 
asked Wi-wil-mekw. 

"I hold thee in no more fear than Michihant, 
who is the most powerful devil of all." 

"If thou darest take me by my horns, and 
scrape my horns with thy knife, and keep the 
scrapings safely, then shalt thy wish be granted 
thee." 

Wi-wil-mekw, the Demon, uttered these 
words, not knowing that before him stood one 



104 



JOYFUL STAR 



without fear. And indeed that one had great 
need to be so fearless; for the demon was 
terrible to see, and every moment he caused 
himself to appear more horrible still, — a very 
horror of horrors. Yet that brave one fear- 
lessly held firm the demon's horns, and scraped 
away with his knife until the demon said : 

"It is enough. Now, do my bidding, and all 
that thou hast wished shall come to pass. Yet 
more shall come to pass, than thou dost know, 
and I will tell thee. Know then that she, who 
has sent madness upon that one, is a terrible 
witch; a witch who has the power of seven 
witches all in one ; a witch in thine own village, 
who seems to be a maiden, modest and beauti- 
ful. She hath cursed him. Now take these 
scrapings, take half and place in fresh spring 
water and give to the wounded one. After he 
has drained the bowl his madness will depart 
from him, and he will be as before. Then keep 
the other scrapings carefully. Carry them to 
that far off place, where dwells that wicked one. 
Mix them with water and give her to drink 
when thirst consumes her. When she has 
drained the bowl her punishment will fall upon 
her. Take, watch, and know that thou didst not 
come to Wi-wil-mekw in vain, — thou one of 
fearless heart.' ' 

Then he who knew not fear returned to the 
wigwam and made the drink, and all came to 



THE MAIDEN WITH THE EVIL HEART 105 



pass just as the demon had foretold. And 
when the snow was melting in the forest, the 
hunters returned to their far-off home, laden 
with game. 

Night had fallen when, at last, the hunters 
reached the village. They found that a festival 
was being held. Torches were lighted every- 
where about, and there was gaiety and dancing. 

The hunter, who had braved the midnight 
darkness and the horrible demon knew that 
soon the dancers would be thirsty. So he pre- 
pared the magic potion as he had been directed, 
and silently waited. There amongst the dan- 
cers, merriest of all, and most beautiful, too, 
he saw the maiden so powerful in wicked 
deeds, — that witch of witches. Soon she came 
toward him athirst, and he held the bowl to- 
ward her. She drank, not noticing who had 
given her to drink. Then she joined the 
dancers again. But at each step in the dance, 
age settled upon her, until, when she had cir- 
cled once about the room she had become a 
withered, little old woman, tottering and bent. 
Then she fell, and as her body touched the 
floor, it turned into powder. 

So came about the end of that wicked one, 
who hid her wickedness deep down in her own 
heart. 



SAHAN THE ORPHAN 



A Tlingit Legend, re-told from J. K. Swanton's Tlingit 
Myths and Texts, Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 39. 

IN" the Tlingit country there lived a maiden 
and she was lonely, for her parents were 
dead. She had no relatives ; she had no name ; 
and so she went by the name of Sahan — orphan. 

Sahan was modest and quiet. Her poor 
lodge was never found in disorder; but every- 
where about were tokens of her thrift and in- 
genuity. These traits of character made Sahan 
a desirable companion for any maiden, for she 
was not yet old enough to be sought in mar- 
riage. 

Now, in this same Tlingit country, there 
lived a man and his wife, high-caste people, who 
had four sons and one daughter. When they 
heard of Sahan 's gentleness and attractiveness, 
they thought: 

"What a good companion she will make for 
our daughter.' ' So they adopted her as their 
own child. 

The two maidens were devoted to each other, 
and when their parents saw them together, they 
would say: 

106 



SAHAN THE ORPHAN 107 



"How fortunate we were in securing such a 
sister for our child. ' ' 

As time passed by, Sahan became fond of 
carrying water from a creek near by, and the 
sister would always accompany her. One day, 
when the two maidens were together at the 
creek, the sister became thirsty and was about 
to drink of the water. 

"No, my sister,' ' Sahan said earnestly. "Do 
not drink here of the water ; if you do, mis- 
fortune will surely follow you. Wait until we 
return to the lodge.' ' 

But the sister would not wait. She drank of 
the water, and from that time a longing 
possessed her to drink from that particular 
place. And she spent much time there in drink- 
ing the water. Sahan 's protests and warnings 
were of no avail. 

"Misfortune will surely abide with you, my 
sister, if you drink of the water." 

But Sahan's warnings were unheeded. And 
then, it happened, that everything the sister un- 
dertook proved a failure. A deep sense of 
the approach of evil came upon her, and she 
wished, too late, that she had listened to the 
advice of Sahan. Soon she married a rich and 
powerful man, one who had never met misfor- 
tune in any way. But after his marriage one 
loss after another came upon him, and ever it 
seemed to be the fault of the wife. At last, 



108 



JOYFUL STAR 



the man who had been so rich and powerful be- 
came poor on his wife's account. 

"See the misfortune and distress you have 
brought upon me," he said to her one day. 
"All my wealth you have caused to be taken 
from me. Hunger is near us. You may re- 
turn to your own people. I will try to escape 
from the cruel clutch of misfortune." 

So the chief's daughter returned to her 
father, and the man set out to rebuild his for- 
tunes. 

Now it so happened, that this one met Sahan. 
He remembered her skill and industry, and 
there came to him the desire to have her for his 
wife. So they were married. This being in 
accordance with the customs of the Tlingit 
country. 

From that day, everything prospered for 
this man. Sahan was very bright and knew 
how to care for his possessions, so very soon 
she had made him rich and powerful again. 
She was quiet, and paid a great deal of atten- 
tion to the needs of her husband, whose life 
was now brightened with the glamour of desire 
gratified. 

The village people, too, delighted in Sahan. 
Her industry was pleasing to them. They re- 
nounced any thought of procuring food, while 
Sahan 's husband was so abundantly supplied. 

As time passed, Sahan lived in luxury. 



SAHAN THE ORPHAN 109 



Even Her dishes and spoons were set with aba- 
lone shells. Her two older brothers were just 
as fortunate as she, and often they would visit 
her; but the two younger ones were unlucky, 
like their sister. 

Sahan was fond of the prosperous brothers, 
and placed before them her choicest dishes 
whenever they visited her. But for the two 
unlucky ones, she had little love. 

"Go, get your best dishes to place before 
your brothers," her husband would say to her, 
when the unlucky ones happened to be there. 

"No, I do not want them to use my good 
dishes. They might leave the marks of pov- 
erty upon them, ' ' Sahan would reply. 

The years passed, years full of self-satisfac- 
tion and happiness to Sahan. She had arrived 
at that state in life when she believed herself 
to be of finer mould than the Tlingit people 
about her. She believed that everything she 
said or did was right because she had done the 
deed, or spoken the word. 

Then it was that the Great Spirit looked 
down upon Sahan in her pride! 

Soon her husband died, and when the burial 
rites were over, her husband's relatives entered 
his lodge. 

"Our brother's lodge and his possessions be- 
long now to us," they said to Sahan. "This is 
a Tlingit custom." 



110 



JOYFUL STAR 



Sahan had known of the custom, but it had 
never occurred to her that the wealth which 
she had gained for her husband would ever 
leave her hands. But there was no help for 
her. The brothers chose to claim everything, 
and she — Sahan — was alone and poor. She, 
the haughty Sahan, had no place of shelter. 

Then she remembered the little lodge where 
she had lived in those days so long ago, when 
she was a poor orphan. And thither she went, 
glad for a place of refuge. 

Her adopted sister, whose husband Sahan 
had married, years before, ignored her. The 
two prosperous brothers, whom she had treated 
with such marked friendship, forgot her — now 
that she was poor. The unlucky younger 
brothers remembered the taunts and slights 
she had heaped upon them and they avoided 
her. So Sahan was alone and poor. Her days 
of prosperity and pride had given place to days 
of loneliness and poverty. This the Great 
Spirit had decreed. 



HOW WAKONTAS TESTED THE MAIDENS 



An Ojibway Legend re-told from Young's Algonquin Indian 
Tales. 

ONCE in the long ago, Wakontas lived in 
the beautiful country of Spirit Land 
where it is always sunshine. He was the son 
of a very powerful spirit there. 

Now it happened that Wakontas could not 
find a wife in that land of sunshine to please 
him, and so he determined to visit the place of 
mortals and there seek for himself a wife. 
Long he wandered over the land, and in vain 
did he search for a maiden whom he would 
choose to be his wife. 

At last, however, Wakontas in the appear- 
ance of a handsome young hunter entered a 
wigwam where dwelt two very beautiful maid- 
ens. They seemed lovely to him in every way. 
They were the most deserving of his affection 
of any maidens he had seen in his long journey. 
They were so attractive to him, that Wakontas 
loved them both! But only one maiden might 
he choose for his wife, and Wakontas turned 
first this way, then that, in his indecision. 
" Which maiden shall I chooser' Wakontas 

asked himself, over and over again. 

111 



112 



JOYFUL STAR 



Now, while the two maidens seemed equally 
lovely of character, yet there was a great dif- 
ference at heart: for one maiden was proud 
and selfish, while the other was gentle and 
kind, and sought only the happiness of other 
people. 

" Which shall I chooser' "Wakontas re- 
peated. "Ah! I will test these maidens. It 
must be that one is more perf ect than the other. 
Yes, I will test them." 

Then Wakontas asked the father for his 
daughter in marriage not saying which maiden 
he meant. And the father agreed that the 
wedding might be after the bride price should 
be paid. So, very quickly, Wakontas aided by 
his magic powers produced the bride price, and 
then began his testing of the maidens. 

After Wakontas had told the maidens that 
he was about to set out upon a hunting trip, he 
entered the forest, where he quickly trans- 
formed himself into a poor, old man, feeble, 
hungry, and in rags. He waited until all the 
family but the two maidens had set out in the 
large canoe, and then he tremblingly ap- 
proached the doorway. He drew aside the 
skins and stood before the two maidens, look- 
ing beseechingly from one to the other. 

"Auwasta hena! Get out! go away, you!" 
the proud sister screamed at him angrily. 

"Ah! but I have great hunger, my daugh- 



Photo by Mooney. By courtesy of Bureau of American Ethnology. 

A Hon Maiden. 



WAKONTAS AND THE MAIDENS 113 



ter," the old man pleaded, "and I am very 
weary. Give me to eat!" 

But the proud sister kept repeating still 
more angrily: " ' Auwasta kena!" 

The old man then turned to Omemee, the 
gentle maiden. She had been looking pity- 
ingly at him, while her sister was ordering him 
to go away. Omemee took him by the hand 
and led him to her side of the wigwam. After 
she had made the seat of deerskin comfortable 
for him, she built a fire beside him and soon 
had cooked venison, which she placed before 
him to eat, and broth did the maiden give to 
the old man, and no thanks would she receive 
from him, only saying: 

"It gives me great joy to be of service.' 9 
Then noticing that the old man's moccasins 
were worn, she placed upon his feet beautifully 
embroidered ones, moccasins worked by her 
own skilful hands. 

And all this while, the proud sister kept up 
a ceaseless chatter of abuse. "Why," she 
cried, "such people should be put to death by 
their relatives." This talk passed unnoticed 
by Omemee and the old man, and soon he went 
on his way, rested and cheered by the kindness 
of Omemee. 

As the afternoon passed, the maidens knew 
that Wakontas would soon be returning from 
the hunt; both maidens greatly desired to be 



114 



JOYFUL STAR 



looked upon with favour by him, and both 
would appear before him in finest gown of 
white doeskin. The proud sister began her 
toilet as soon as the poor stranger had left the 
wigwam; but Omemee thought of her parents 
and her brothers and sisters returning from 
their journey, tired and hungry. 

"It is best for me to prepare the evening 
meal for my people." So after a brief mo- 
ment spent upon her toilet she prepared the 
bear's meat, and venison, and fish, for the 
evening meal. 

Soon the sound of happy voices on the river 
announced the return of the family, and the 
two maidens went forth to meet them. To 
their amazement, they saw Wakontas in a 
finely wrought canoe beside the large canoe of 
their father. When they landed, the maidens 
saw that the young hunter wore upon his feet 
the beaded moccasins which Omemee had given 
to the hungry, weary stranger that afternoon. 

Before a word could be said, the young 
hunter stood before them. 

"This afternoon," he said, looking from one 
to the other, " as a weary, old man, hungry and 
lonely, I entered thy wigwam. From one 
maiden I received abuse and insult. From the 
other, such kindness and pity were bestowed 
upon me, that I saw how truly gentle of heart 
she was. She gave to the poor old stranger 



WAKONTAS AND THE MAIDENS 115 



her choicest gifts, the best food and drink, the 
beautiful moccasins. Long have I searched 
for a wife who would possess such virtues as 
does the maiden Omemee. The bride price is 
paid. I would wed this maiden. And as for 
that other; let her be an aspen tree, that she 
may no longer disturb people with her abuse 
and chatter!" 

As Wakontas uttered these words, to the 
horror of those about, the proud sister slowly 
changed into an aspen tree. Before the power 
of Wakontas, she was helpless. Nevermore 
would she trouble people with her abuse. 

Then Wakontas turned to Omemee. "But, 
Omemee, thou art my heart's choice. I am 
Wakontas, and to the land of sunshine will I 
take thee." And as his arms touched Omemee, 
the two were transformed into white doves. 
Together they soared high in the air ; together 
they made their way under the blue sky to 
their home in the beautiful land of the sun- 
shine. 



THE PRIDE OF PEETA KWAY 



An Iroquois Legend re-told from Schoolcraft. 

ONCE there lived on the sand moun- 
tains beside a lake, an old woman called 
Peeta Kway, who had magical power. Peeta 
Kway had a beautiful daughter with locks of 
sunlight : a maiden as modest as she was lovely. 

The braves throughout all the land heard of 
the maiden, and many were the strong, young 
warriors who went to old Peeta Kway desir- 
ing the maiden. But the old woman made one 
excuse after another, and sent them all away. 
She hoped that some very powerful chief might 
come for her daughter. 

One day, there came to the old woman's wig- 
wam a brave, tall and fearless. He, too, came 
seeking the beautiful maiden with the shining 
hair; but Peeta Kway sent him away, as she 
had done all the others. Then, fearing that 
some one might carry her lovely daughter off, 
Peeta Kway put her into a box and kept her on 
the lake. Every day, Peeta Kway would go 
down the sand mountain to the shore of the 

lake, and draw in the box by the cord which 

lie 



THE PRIDE OF PEETA KWAY 117 



secured it. She would give the maiden food 
and comb her long", shining hair. Then Peeta 
Kway would secure her in the box again, and 
send it out into the lake. 

One day, a young brave happened by as 
Peeta Kway was combing the maiden's hair, 
and he greatly longed for the maiden. He 
went at once to his uncle, a powerful chief who 
was a great magician. 

6 ' Go to the old woman, my nephew," he said, 
"but say no word to her, sit down quietly, and 
whatever you think, she will understand and 
answer you in her thoughts. ' ' 

So the young brave went to the wigwam of 
Peeta Kway on the sand mountain. He sat 
down in silence. He thought: "I wish that 
she would give me her daughter.' ' His head 
was dropped in a thoughtful manner, and he 
listened to understand what her thoughts 
might be in answer to his. 

"Have my daughter, indeed, you!" she 
thought. "No, indeed, my daughter shall 
never marry you." 

The brave left the wigwam silently, and re- 
turned to his uncle. 

"Proud of heart," the uncle said. "We 
will try her magic skill, and see whether she 
can withstand us." 

Then he summoned all the spirits living on 
the shore of the lake to meet in council. They 



118 



JOYFUL STAR 



talked of the pride of Peeta Kway. "We must 
humble her. We will punish her through her 
daughter, the maiden of the sunlight hair," 
they said. 

Then the sky grew grey, and great clouds 
gathered over the lake. The water rose in 
great waves, and before Peeta Kway could 
reach the box to save it, the cord was broken 
and the box was drawn far out in the lake. 
Down, down the lake the waves drew it, until 
it reached the lodge of an old spirit, the keeper 
of the lakes. He opened the box and let out 
the beautiful maiden. 

Plead as hard as she might, the old keeper 
of the lakes would not let her go. u No," he 
said, "you must stay here and be my wife." 
So the maiden of the beautiful, shining hair 
was kept a prisoner by the old keeper of the 
lakes. Day after day she wandered by the 
shore of the lake, hoping that her mother might 
rescue her. But Peeta Kway's power had left 
her. 

All this time the old woman was mourning 
for her daughter and would not be comforted. 
At length, after four snows had passed, the 
Spirits of the lake decided to return the maiden 
to her home. "For," they said, "Peeta Kway 
has been humbled enough." 

Soon there was a terrible storm, the greatest 
storm ever known, and when the maiden saw 



THE PRIDE OF PEETA KWAY 119 



the waves dashing high on the shore, something 
seemed to say to her : 
" Hurry into the box for safety.' ' 
The maiden hastened to the water with the 
box and stepped inside, closing down the cover. 
Then the box was washed far up the lake by 
the wild waves, and was soon high up on the 
shore in front of the sand mountain where 
Peeta Kway's wigwam was. 

The old woman saw the box washed ashore, 
and ran down the sand mountain with her 
heart full of joy. She tremblingly tore open 
the box. There before her was her daughter, 
the maiden who had been so beautiful. But 
all of her beauty was gone. Her face was sad, 
and all the light had gone from it, and her hair 
was dull and grey. All the sunshine had gone 
from her. 

But Peeta Kway loved her daughter, and she 
thought that perhaps the silent young brave 
might even now desire her. She sent a mes- 
senger to him. 

"You once desired my daughter. I am now 
willing that she should be your wife." 

It was too late! The brave answered: "I 
shall not marry your daughter. She was mar- 
ried to the keeper of the lakes." 

Then Peeta Kway's heart was heavy with 
grief. She looked at her daughter and 
thought : 



120 



JOYFUL STAE 



"Alas! my pride, it has brought this disaster 
upon us. Alas! my daughter; if I had been 
content with that which was within my reach, 
this misery would not have fallen upon her. 
Alas! my daughter. Alas! my pride." 



THE OLD WOMAN AND THE PECANS 



A Tale from the Caddo re-told from Dorsey's Traditions of 
the Caddo, collected under the auspices of the Carnegie In- 
stitute. 

ONCE upon a time there lived a wicked, 
old, ugly woman. She was mother to 
all the pecan trees. She owned all the pecan 
trees that grew in the world. 

This old woman was as selfish as she was 
ugly. She gathered every nut from the trees, 
and would not allow the people to have any, 
except when they visited her lodge. Then she 
would give each visitor a few nuts and make 
him eat every one before he left the lodge, be- 
cause she was determined that no one should 
have any seed to plant for pecan trees. 

Now the people were very fond of the nuts, 
and they often wondered how they might ob- 
tain some from the old woman. At last, a 
famine came upon the people and they were 
very hungry. And all this time the old woman 
had her lodge filled with pecans, the only food 
anywhere about. The hungry people grew 
angry with the old woman, and called a council 

to determine what should be done with her. 

121 



122 



JOYFUL STAR 



In this same village there lived an old man 
of the field-rat tribe, with his four little sons. 
These boys were so meddlesome that they were 
nuisances to the entire village. And when 
some one in the council said : 

"Let the children of the field-rat go to the 
old woman's lodge in the night, and perhaps 
they can steal the nuts for us. If the old 
woman should kill them, they will be no loss to 
us." All the people thought that the boys 
were just suited to such an adventure as this, 
and the rats, glad to be meddling, were very 
willing to go. 

The boys waited that night until they thought 
the old woman was asleep, then one crept to 
her lodge and peeped through an opening. 
He saw the old woman still at work. But he 
waited until she had completed her task and 
had gone to bed. Even then the boy waited 
until he knew by her breathing that she was 
fast asleep. Then he ran to summon his 
brothers. But when he reached his father's 
lodge, he found Coyote there. 

"Do not bother about the old woman," said 
Coyote, "for I am going over to-morrow to 
kill her. She is too wicked to live, keeping 
food from the people when there is a famine." 

So the rats did not carry out the plan of the 
council, and Coyote went over to the old 
woman's lodge in the early morning. 



THE OLD WOMAN AND THE PECANS 123 



The old woman gave Coyote a few pecans, 
and he ate them hungrily, and then said: 

"Good mother, only give me more of the 
pecans, for I have great hunger." 

When the old woman turned her back to get 
the pecans, Coyote killed her with his stone 
knife. And ever since that time the pecan 
trees have grown everywhere and belong to all 
of the people. 



A MAIDEN'S CURIOSITY 



IN the days of tlie ancients, Indians might 
visit the Island of the Blessed. In those 
days, too, — as in these days — there lived people 
who brought great trouble and misfortune 
upon others, by their heedless curiosity. 

In a certain village, there lived such a 
maiden, whose curiosity brought grief and sor- 
row upon one who had travelled over a rocky, 
difficult trail to the Island of the Blessed. 

In this same village, in that ancient time, 
there lived a young brave, Sayadio, and his sis- 
ter. The maiden was as the light of the morn- 
ing to Sayadio : she was, to him, as the bright 
sun at noon-day which makes all the earth glad. 

Behold! death claimed the maiden. Her 
soul departed to the Land of Souls, to the 
Island of the Blessed. 

Then was Sayadio exceeding sad of heart; 
with his head covered and bent to the ground, 
he mourned. But, one night, when everything 
was dark and still, Sayadio 's manitto, his 
guardian spirit, visited him. 

"My son," the guardian spirit said, "thou 
mayest journey to the Land of Souls and once 
more see thy beloved one, thy sister." 

124 



A MAIDEN'S CURIOSITY 125 



Sayadio 's heart became light and he has- 
tened to prepare for the journey, determining 
to bring back with him from the Land of Souls, 
his dear sister. When all was in readiness, 
Sayadio set out from his wigwam, not knowing 
that the way was a long and dreary one for 
mortals to travel. But as the days passed, 
and Sayadio seemed no nearer his sister's 
abode, he had great weariness of heart. Faint 
and footsore, he thought: 

"I shall never reach that one, I cannot find 
the trail to the Island of the Blessed. I will 
return to my dreary wigwam, and when the 
Great Spirit calls me, then will I go to her. ' ' 

Just at that moment, there came along the 
lonely road toward Sayadio, a little, old man 
holding a curious looking cup with a long 
handle and with a cover that fitted closely over 
it. He stopped in front of Sayadio and said: 

"Follow this trail. It is a rocky, gloomy 
trail for mortals to travel. But follow the 
trail, and in the end thou shalt reach the Island 
of the Blessed. Take this cup. Imprison in 
it the maiden's soul. Only remember one 
thing. Keep it carefully closed until life re- 
turns to the body. On no account allow any 
one to open the cup after the soul of the 
maiden has been captured. I have said." 
And the little, old man disappeared. 

Sayadio, with the cup held closely in his 



126 



JOYFUL STAR 



hand, journeyed on with a light heart, and 
after many moons reached the Land of Souls. 
But the spirits were afraid of him. Whenever 
he approached them, they fled. He saw his 
sister and called to her. Again and again 
Sayadio cried to her, but she fled from him, and 
the sadness in Sayadio 's heart was greater 
than he could hear. 

"I have taken this journey hither: I have 
followed this long trail filled with many dan- 
gers : at last I have found my sister, — and she 
hastens from me in fear." Then he remem- 
bered the magic cup which the old man had 
given him. "I will capture her soul. I will 
take her back to the land of mortals," he de- 
termined. 

Then Sayadio saw the spirits gathering to- 
gether for the Spirit dance, and the leader, 
knowing his thoughts, came toward him and 
gave him a mystic rattle of great power. 

Sayadio beat the rattle, and at once the 
spirits began a strange, bewildering dance. In 
the circle of dancers, Sayadio saw his sis- 
ter. He held his cup uncovered to capture her. 
Nearer and nearer she came in the circle, and 
as she passed, Sayadio, suddenly, bent forward 
and swept her into his magic cup, hastily fas- 
tening down the cover. The spirit struggled 
to free itself, but Sayadio held it securely, and 
bent his steps toward the country of mortals. 



A MAIDEN'S CURIOSITY 127 



When he reached his native village, his first 
care was to place the magic cup in some place 
secure from any enemy or any curious person, 
for he remembered the warning of the old man 
on the lonely road. 

"Do not let any one open the cup before the 
maiden's body is reanimated; if you do, great 
trouble will come to you. ' ' So Sayadio warned 
every one not to touch the precious cup. And 
every one remembered his command, except 
one heedless maiden. 

This one greatly longed to see the soul of 
the maiden imprisoned in the covered cup. 
She waited near the lodge, thinking: " There 
can be no harm, if I open the cover a little way. 
No one will know. I will move the cover just 
enough to peep within. Sayadio will never 
know, no one will know." 

While the preparations were being made for 
the ceremonies of the resurrection, the maiden 
could no longer endure her ungratified curi- 
osity. That heedless one sought to find the 
magic cup. And when the body of the maiden 
had been brought from its burial place to be 
reanimated by its spirit, — when all hearts were 
filled with hope that soon the loved one of all 
the village would be with them in life again, — 
at that moment that heedless maiden found the 
magic cup and quickly opened it to look within. 

Out from the cup flew the imprisoned soul! 



128 



JOYFUL STAR 



Out of the lodge, np into the clear, blue sky it 
floated, never pausing to listen to the pleadings 
of her brother, who stood before his wigwam 
calling to her to return. 

Such was the work of a heedless maiden of 
the long ago, whose curiosity wrought great 
trouble and sorrow. 



THE TRIUMPH OF THE EAST WIND'S 
DAUGHTER, 



A Tlingit Legend re-told from Swanton's Tlingit Myths and 
Texts in Smithsonian Institution Bureau of Ethnology Bulle- 
tin No. 39. 

SA-NAXET, the East Wind, had a very 
beautiful daughter whom he gave in mar- 
riage to a high-caste man of the Tlingits. 

Very proud and happy was this high-caste 
man of the Tlingits. "I have for my wife the 
most beautiful maiden on this island,' ' he 
boasted, "search where one may." 

As time passed, the people grew weary of 
his bragging, and one day when he was prais- 
ing his wife's beauty, one near him said: 

"You have never seen the daughter of Xun, 
the North Wind, if you say that your wife is 
the most beautiful person in the world." 

"Have you ever seen the daughter of Xun, the 
North Wind?" the people asked him spitefully. 

"I have never heard of Xun, the North 
Wind's daughter," the high-caste man replied. 
"Where may she be found?" 

"Far to the North dwells the maiden," they 
told him, "and her garments glisten with won- 

129 



130 



JOYFUL STAR 



derful lights, they are so rich and valuable; 
and as she moves there is a sound as of many 
abalone shells making songs.' 9 

"Xun, the North Wind, must have great 
wealth,' ' thought the high-caste man. "I will 
go to the land of Xun, the North Wind." 

The high-caste man set out from his village, 
and after many moons he reached the land of 
the North Wind. He found the maiden to be 
far lovelier than he had thought a maiden could 
be, and he sought her in marriage. After they 
had been married a few snows, the high-caste 
man brought his beautiful wife back to his 
native village, where his first wife still lived. 

When the people saw the daughter of Xun, 
the North Wind, how her clothing sparkled 
with colours and lights, they hastened to the 
lodge of the East Wind's daughter. 

' 1 There is such a beautiful woman in our 
village, ' ' they said to this one. ' ' She is the wife 
of that high-caste man, thy husband." 

Anger and jealousy quickly gathered in the 
heart of the neglected wife, and she answered 
their taunts with dark, gloomy countenance: 

i 6 Soon will I take away the beauty of that 
one. Wait and see!" 

Then it began to grow cloudy and warm, 
and the beautiful maiden — the daughter of 
Xun, the North Wind, felt a strange fear come 
upon her. Her glistening garments grew dull; 



THE EAST WIND'S DAUGHTER 131 



the wonderful colours in them seemed to dis- 
appear. And then the light went out from the 
heart of the maiden. Her beauty was gone. 
For it had been but the beauty of clothing, that 
glamour made by the unstable frost. And the 
jealous daughter of the East Wind had de- 
prived her of her lovely garments. Hence- 
forth she would be a plain, little maiden — no 
longer the pride of her husband. 

And the heart of the East Wind's daughter 
grew strong again. "It may be," she thought, 
"that my husband will remember my beauty, 
when he sees the plainness of that one." 



OOCHIGEASKW THE LITTLE SCARRED GIRL 

A Micmac Legend from Glooscap the Great Chief by E. N. 
Partridge. 

IN the olden time there was a large Indian 
village on the shore of a great lake. At one 
end of the village there lived an Indian with his 
three daughters. The mother was dead, and 
the two elder daughters did all the work of the 
wigwam. 

The youngest child was a timid, sickly little 
girl. Her sisters hated her and were very 
cruel to her. When her father was away on 
hunting trips, they would beat her and abuse 
her in every way they could think of. They 
would even burn her with hot ashes and fire 
brands. After a while, the little girl became so 
covered with burns that they left scars all over 
her face and body; and her hair was singed 
close to her skin. 

When her father returned from a hunting 
trip and saw her, he said: 

' 6 Why are you so burned and scarred ? ' ' But 
she was so afraid of her sisters that she dared 
not tell him. 

"Oh, she is determined to play in the hot 

132 



THE LITTLE SCARRED GIRL 133 



ashes," the cruel sisters said. "We cannot 
keep her away from them and so she is 
burned. ' ' 

After a while the cruel sisters began calling 
the little girl Oochigeaskw, Little Scarred One. 
And then all of the Indians about, even her 
father, called her Oochigeaskw. So this be- 
came her name — the only name she had — Little 
Scarred One. She had no playmates — for who 
would want to play with such a scarred little 
creature? 

Little Oochigeaskw was often very lonely. 
She would sit on the shore and look away 
across the water and long for her mother to 
come back to her. She knew that if only her 
mother were with her, all would be changed. 
There would be no cruel sisters: there would 
be no scars and sores : people would not taunt 
her and point their fingers at her: she would 
not be lonely any more. 

But wish as much as she might the mother 
never came back to Oochigeaskw, for she was 
dead. 

Now, away at the other end of the village 
there lived a young Indian brave with his sis- 
ter. This brave's name was Team-moose; 
for his teomul — the one who guarded him and 
gave him magical power — was a moose. Team 
could make himself invisible to every one but 



134 



JOYFUL STAR 



his sister. And he knew that when there 
should be an Indian maiden who had the power 
to see him when he was invisible to other peo- 
ple, she would be the one meant for his wife. 
So he sent out word that whatever maiden 
should see him, her would he marry. 

Team was brave and handsome; he had the 
finest lodge in the village ; he caught more game 
than any of the other Indians; so of course, 
every maiden longed to see him, and to be the 
fortunate one. 

They visited his lodge, sometimes going 
alone and sometimes in twos or threes. 
Team's sister would entertain them kindly, 
then toward sunset she would take them to the 
shore of the lake. When the sound of Team's 
paddle could be heard, the sister would ask: 

"Do you see my brother V 7 The girls would 
strain their eyes in the direction of the sound, 
but they could never see Team. Sometimes 
one would think that she could make believe see 
him, and that they would not find out; so she 
would answer : 

"Yes, I see him." Then the sister would 
ask: 

"Of what is his shoulder strap made?" 

Now there were only two things the Indians 
used for shoulder straps. Usually they were 
made of raw-hide, but sometimes they used a 
withe from an ash tree. So the answer would 



THE LITTLE SCARRED GIRL 135 



be, "Oh, it is made of raw-hide, ' ' or, "It is 
made of a withe.' ' The sister would then say, 
"Let us return to the lodge." 

So try as hard as they might, they could not 
see the hunter. 

At last, the little scarred girl's two sisters 
thought that they would try their luck. They 
dressed themselves in their prettiest clothes; 
they made long braids of their hair and wound 
them with strings of bright little shells; and 
then they set off for the lodge of Team. But 
they fared no better than the others, although 
the eldest sister said that she could see Team. 

"Of what is his shoulder strap made?" 
Team's sister quickly asked her. 

"Of raw-hide," she answered. 

When the three returned to the lodge, the two 
girls stayed and helped prepare the evening 
meal, for they thought, "We can surely see him 
when he is eating." 

But, although they heard the sound of the 
game dropped to the ground outside the door, 
and although they could see his moccasins as 
soon as his sister touched them, they could not 
see Team. When he ate, as soon as he touched 
the food, it became invisible. 

The maidens stayed all night with Team's 
sister, and then in the morning they returned 
to their wigwam, cross and disappointed, to 
vent their anger upon the little scarred girl. 



136 



JOYFUL STAR 



They found that their father had reached home 
while they were away, and that he had brought 
a great store of shells. So they began string- 
ing the wampum. 

Oochigeaskw knew that her sisters had been 
to Team's lodge, and she thought: 

"Perhaps I could see him. Perhaps I could 
see Team, and then I should not have to live 
here with my cruel sisters." 

Then she remembered that she had no cloth- 
ing — she was in rags. What should she do! 
She saw a birch tree in its beautiful white cov- 
ering and she said : 

"I'll make a garment of that." 

So she made herself a skirt and jacket of the 
birch bark. She found a pair of old moccasins 
her father had thrown away, and she soaked 
them in water, and tried to make them fit her 
feet. But they were so large that they reached 
to her knees. 

Then Oochigeaskw went to her sisters, busy 
with the bright little shells, and said: 

"Oh, give me some of the pretty shells." 

But they sneered at her and sent her away. 
Again and again she went to them, beg- 
ging: 

' ' Do give me some of the pretty little shells ! 
Do give me some of the pretty little shells." 

At last they gave her a few, such pretty ones : 
yellow and blue and green and white ! 



THE LITTLE SCARRED GIRL 137 



Oochigeaskw trimmed the moccasins and 
skirt and coat with the shells, and then she 
wound strings of them about her head. She 
had no beautiful braids to be adorned with 
them, and she was so ashamed. But she 
started out bravely in search of Team, the won- 
derful hunter. 

When her sisters saw her going away they 
cried : 

" Where are you going? Come back, you lit- 
tle scarred one!" 

But Oochigeaskw was afraid of them no 
longer. 

i i I will not go back to you, and I am going to 
the lodge of Team, ' 9 she called out. 

As she passed through the village, the chil- 
dren threw stones at her, shouting: 

6 ' Oochigeaskw, Oochigeaskw! Go back! Go 
back!" 

Some of the stones struck her and hurt her, 
but she kept on. Even the men and women 
laughed, pointing at her and calling : 

"Oochigeaskw! Oh, Oochigeaskw, little 
scarred one! Go back! Go back!" 

But, at last, Oochigeaskw reached the lodge of 
Team. The sister greeted her kindly, and at 
sunset the two went down to the shore. Away 
in the distance sounded the faint dip, dip of 
a paddle. The two maidens stood with their 
hands shading their eyes, looking in the direc- 



138 



JOYFUL STAR 



tion from wliicli the sound came. At last the 
sister said: 

"Do you see my brother V 9 

Oochigeaskw looked eagerly up the lake. 

"Yes! I see him! 9 ' she said at length. 

"Of what is his shoulder strap made?" the 
sister asked. 

Oochigeaskw looked searchingly again. 

"Why, it is made of a rainbow! 99 she cried. 

"Ah, you have seen my brother! Now let 
us hasten to the lodge, that I may prepare you 
to meet him when he comes.' ' 

The two maidens hurried to the lodge, and 
the sister opened a large chest full of the most 
beautiful clothing Oochigeaskw had ever seen. 
Then the sister prepared to bathe her ; and 
Oochigeaskw hung her head for shame because 
of her scars and burns. But, as soon as the 
water touched her — such a wonderful thing hap- 
pened! The scarred and burned flesh disap- 
peared, and beautiful fresh skin appeared in 
its place. 

Then the sister began arranging her hair. 
"When Oochigeaskw thought of her scorched, 
stubby hair she felt like crying, for every In- 
dian bride prides herself upon her long braids 
of hair; and Oochigeaskw 's hair was burned 
close to her skin. When the sister began to 
brush it, there came fine beautiful, glossy, 
black hair from under the brush, and soon the 



THE LITTLE SCARRED GIRL 139 



long braids were bound with the strings of 
bright shells, and Oochigeaskw was arrayed in 
her wedding garments. Then the sister seated 
her in the wife's place next to the door and the 
two waited for the coming of Team. 

At last they heard the game as it fell to the 
ground outside the wigwam door. The skins at 
the doorway were drawn aside, and Team stood 
there. He looked at Oochigeaskw in her wed- 
ding garments, waiting for him in the wife's 
seat — and he smiled down at her. 

"At last we have met," he said to her. 

Oochigeaskw looked up at Team and an- 
swered : 

"Yes." 

And so they were married. And Oochige- 
askw's days of sorrow and loneliness were 
brought to an end. 

And kespeadooksit — the story ends. 



THE TURKEY GIRL 



A Zuni Legend re-told from Cushing's Zuni Folk-Tales. 

T ONG, long ago, there lived a little girl who 
I J was all alone in the world. She had no 
father or mother; she had no brothers or sis- 
ters; she had no grandmother — there was no 
one in all the world to be kind to the little girl. 
The only name she had was Little Turkey Girl, 

The little girl lived just outside the village 
in a lonely hut. All day long she watched 
flocks of turkeys, and at sunset she drove them 
into their pens. For this work she received 
scraps of food and an old, worn-out garment, 
now and then. 

Because the little turkey girl had no one to 
show her any kindness, she greatly desired it. 
And she gave that kindness to her turkeys 
which she longed to receive from people. And 
the turkeys grew to love the maiden, and they 
would obey her call. They called her maiden- 
mother , when they talked to one another about 
her. But this the maiden did not know. 

One day, the maiden was driving her turkeys 
into the plains, when she heard the herald- 

140 



THE TURKEY GIRL 141 



priest proclaiming that in four days' time there 
would be held the dance of the Sacred Bird. 
Now the little turkey girl had never in all her 
life been to a dance or a party of any kind, and 
she so longed to go to this dance. 

"If only I might go!" she thought. "But 
they would not even allow me to watch the 
dancing. And I have never been to a party in 
all my life!" 

All the youths and maidens of the village 
would be there. She would be the only one 
who could not go. For who would allow such 
a ragged, dirty, little creature as she to enter 
the place of dancing? 

Every day after that, the turkey girl saw 
the people busy with their preparations, as she 
drove her turkeys out into the plains. She 
could hear them talking and laughing, and her 
heart was filled with pain and longing. So 
she talked to her turkeys about it, telling them 
how much she longed to go to the dance, never 
dreaming that the turkeys could understand 
her, for they had never spoken to her. 

But when the turkeys were alone, they talked 
with one another about it. "Our maiden- 
mother must go to the dance," they determined. 
So on the day when all the people of Matsaki 
were hurrying to Zuhi, the turkey leader spoke 
to the maiden. 

"We know thy thoughts, maiden-mother, 



142 



JOYFUL STAR 



and because thou hast always been so kind to 
us, we will help thee. Only in thy happiness 
do not forget us, who — although we can help 
thee — still depend upon thee. We will make 
it possible for thee to go to the dance, but thou 
must promise to return to us before the sun 
sets. If thou dost keep thy promise, then hap- 
piness will be thine; if thou dost forget us, 
then misfortune will fall upon thee." 

The maiden promised them again and again 
that she would not forget them, and so they 
had her take them to their pens in the early 
afternoon. There the old turkeys brushed her 
clothing until, by their magical power, they had 
made it beautiful and silky. Then other tur- 
keys went around her with outstretched wings, 
brushing her body — and the old, coarse, soiled 
skin became changed into clean, beautiful flesh. 
Then in the same way they brushed her hair. 
And other turkeys produced jewels for her, 
and soon the little turkey girl was transformed 
into a lovely Zuni maiden, more richly clothed 
than any one she had ever seen. 

"Now leave the wicket open, maiden- 
mother," they said to her. "It may be that 
thou wilt forget us, who need thee. Eemember 
thy promise to be with us when the sun is set- 
ting. ' ' 

The maiden with a happy heart promised, 
and hastened away to Zuni, the lightest- 



THE TURKEY GIRL 



143 



hearted maiden in all the land. When she 
reached the place of the dance, all wondered 
who this beautiful stranger might be, and one 
after another of the young braves invited her 
to join in the dance. In dance after dance she 
sped about, entirely forgetting the patient tur- 
keys waiting for her in their pens. Then the 
sun grew in the west, and the maiden thought: 
"But I shall have time for just one more 
dance before I leave this lovely life. ' ' And 
so she danced on. Before she could under- 
stand quite how it had happened, the sun had 
disappeared in the west. Then the maiden 
sped from the dance hall, and being very fleet 
of foot was far on her way to the turkey pens 
before the people had realised that she was 
gone. 

When, at last, the turkey girl reached the 
place there was quiet everywhere about; the 
air seemed empty. In the dim light the maiden 
saw that the wicket was open. She called to 
her turkeys, but there was no answer except 
her own echo. Then looking toward the moun- 
tains, she saw her turkeys hurrying away. 
Calling to them, the maiden sped after them. 
She approached so near to them that she could 
hear their song as they fled. 

"Our maiden-mother lingers long at the 
dance/ ' they sang. "She has forgotten us, 
therefore we will go away." 



144 



JOYFUL STAR 



"Come back to me!" she called to them, 
"come back to me, my turkey children ! ' 9 

But the turkeys, singing their sad little song, 
spread out their wings and flew away across 
the plains below. 

The maiden threw up her arms in despair. 
She was all alone now ! Her dear turkeys were 
gone, the only ones in all the world who had 
shown her kindness ! Just then, she happened 
to look at her gown. She was in her old, soiled 
rags again! The beautiful clothing and jew- 
elry had disappeared. And she remembered 
the words of the turkeys : 

"If thou dost forget us who give thee good 
fortune, then thou art deserving of misfortune 
only. ' ' 

And the little turkey girl went down the 
mountain, and back into her lonely, little hut 
where all was empty, and dark, and cold. 

And thus the story ends. 



NIPON THE SUMMER MAIDEN 



An Algonquin Legend re-told from Kuloskap by Leland and 
Prince. 

LONG ago, in the olden time, there lived a 
beautiful maiden. She was the Summer 
maiden, and the Indians called her Nipon. 

Nipon's wigwam was in the land of the Sun, 
and there she dwelt, never wandering far from 
her home in the wonderful Sun land, where the 
flowers were always blooming, and where the 
leaves of the trees were always green. 

The Summer maiden, Nipon, adorned herself 
with soft, shining green leaves interwoven with 
fragrant flowers. And she decked with blos- 
soms her wigwam — the only wigwam in all the 
Sun land. 

Nipon lived alone in the Sun land. Yet it 
was not a lonely land for the Summer maiden, 
for she was ever caring for her flowers. 

Sometimes people came to her in the beauti- 
ful Sun land. Her grandmother, who lived in 
a far-off land, would come — her grandmother, 
whom they called K'me-wan, the Bain. And 
whenever K'me-wan visited the Sun land she 
would say: 

145 



146 



JOYFUL STAR 



"Thou child of my child, this one thing I 
charge thee, and would bind thee with a solemn 
pledge. If thou shouldst ever wander from 
the Sun land into other lands, never, in thy wan- 
derings, go to the land of the North. For there 
dwells thine enemy — an ancient and terrible 
foe. He is Poon, whom people call the Winter. 
He will imprison thee, and torture thee. Poon 
will drive thy beauty from thee. Thy soft 
green gown, Poon, the Winter will cause to 
fade ; and thy gleaming hair he will change to 
grey, and all thy youth and strength will leave 
thee, for Poon will make thee old and weak." 

The Summer maiden, Nipon, did not keep 
the warnings of her grandmother in her heart, 
but carelessly threw them aside. One day 
Nipon stood in the sunshine in front of her wig- 
wam of flowers and leaves; she the Summer 
maiden, looked upon the fair world about her. 
She looked to the North where Poon, the Win- 
ter, made his home. And a strange longing 
came over her. She looked again to the North 
land. 

" There is a land of sunshine, too," she 
thought. For the whole North seemed bathed 
in sunlight. And she saw the high mountains 
and the rivers and the lakes gleaming in the 
far-off light. 

"I would go to that distant North land," 




The Summer Maiden Looked upon the Fair World About Her. 



NIPON THE SUMMER MAIDEN 147 



Nipon said, her heart aching with longing". 
And then the warning of her grandmother 
K'me-wan, the Eain, came to her, 4 * Thou child 
of my child, go not to the North land." But 
the Summer maiden defiantly shook her head. 

"I would go to that distant North land," she 
said again. 

So Nipon forgot the words of her grand- 
mother. The Summer maiden, Nipon, de- 
parted from her wigwam of green leaves and 
blossoming flowers; Nipon left the wonderful 
Sun land and set out for the alluring North 
land in the distance. And as she journeyed she 
heard the voice of some one wailing. Nipon 
listened. It was the voice of her grandmother, 
K'me-wan, the Eain. 

"Thou child of my child," the voice called 
from afar, for Nipon could not see her grand- 
mother, the Eain. 4 4 Thou child of my child, do 
not leave the Sun land. Do not go to the North 
land, the land of Poon, the Winter. For he will 
surely destroy thee. Do not go." 

Her grandmother's voice grew fainter and 
fainter, and at last it sounded like the far-off 
wail of the wind — "Do not go ! Bo not gol" 

But Nipon hastened on. For many days, and 
lo! for many moons, she journeyed. Her 
bright blossoms and shining green leaves be- 
gan to fade. But the Summer maiden cared 



148 



JOYFUL STAR 



not; for she was hastening to the North land, 
to the land of Poon, the Winter. The sun was 
still shining upon her, and she had no fear. 

But one day Nipon noticed that the moun- 
tains and hills and rivers were moving forward 
as she moved. And she wondered how this 
could be. And while she stood wondering she 
was quiet and still. And in the stillness there 
came to her from the distance the faint whis- 
per of her grandmother, K'me-wan, the Eain, 
and the Summer maiden stood very still and 
listened. Then the voice came nearer and 
clearer : 

"Thou child of my child, do not go to the 
North land, to the land of cruel Poon, the Win- 
ter. Stay, my daughter!" 

Then the Summer maiden closed her ears to 
the words of K'me-wan and set out with her 
face toward the North land. And still the land 
moved on before her. And then something so 
strange came over her, and the cold of winter 
chilled her. Then she saw that her beautiful 
gown of green leaves and bright flowers was 
tattered and torn. The leaves had turned yel- 
low and many were blown away by the North 
winds, and the bright blossoms, still clinging 
to their places, were dead. 

The Summer maiden then remembered the 
words of her grandmother. And a strange fear 
filled her heart as she quickly looked at her 



NIPON THE SUMMER MAIDEN 149 



glistening hair. There, instead of the braids 
of gleaming sunshine, Nipon saw long braids 
of white hair. And a heavy pain came into 
her heart, for Nipon knew that Poon, the Win- 
ter, had her in his grasp. 

Then the Sun was hidden by thick snow 
clouds and everything grew grey and there was 
a cold mist about. And then the mountain 
which had journeyed on before her became cov- 
ered with snow, and the rivers and lakes were 
coated with ice. And Nipon grew weak, and 
could not move; and the snow fell pitilessly 
about her. 

In the far-off land where K 'me-wan, the Rain, 
dwelt there was sadness. For K'me-wan 
looked toward the distant wigwam of Nipon 
and saw no smoke arising, and she said : 

"Alas, my grandchild, she has not returned 
from the land of cruel Poon, the Winter.' ' 
And K'me-wan hastened to Nipon 's wigwam in 
the silent Sun land. There she found the 
leaves and flowers withered and dead ; for Poon 
the cruel Winter held Nipon in his grasp. 

"I must save her," K'me-wan thought. So 
she summoned her bravest warriors, who were 
invisible. They were the South wind, the East 
wind and with them was Sen-u-sok-tun, who was 
called the warming breeze. And K'me-wan 
said: 

"Hasten to the North land, use all your 



150 



JOYFUL STAR 



magical power. Hasten to rescue the Summer 
maiden from cruel Poon, the Winter." 

The warriors hastened unseen to the distant 
North land. And as they neared it, Poon felt 
ill at ease. His magical power told him that 
trouble was coming fast upon him. So he 
called his warriors to him, the North wind — the 
pitiless one, and his brother the Northwest 
wind. Then he summoned the chill, cold 
Northeast wind and all the spirits of the sleet 
and snow. 

"My warriors, our foes are flying upon us 
from the South land. Hasten to meet them in 
battle." Even as Poon spoke the sweat 
dropped from his brow and his face became 
thin. 

"I feel them coming," he panted. 1 ' Hasten 
to do them battle!" And the mighty wind 
giants flew to the fight. The air was thick with 
great snowflakes and heavy hail stones; and 
the cold winds urged them on. But as they 
hastened, they met the warm rain drops and 
they melted and fell helpless to the ground. 
The winds roared, and the thunder shook the 
North land. And Nipon, almost buried in the 
snow, grew greyer and weaker. But the warm 
South winds and the soft, melting rain pressed 
on until the drops on Poon's face fell faster and 
faster, and he grew so weak that at last he fell 
to the ground. 



NIPON THE SUMMER MAIDEN 151 



"I shall surely perish," he thought. "Ah! 
it is that Summer maiden, who has brought all 
this trouble upon me." And Poon summoned 
a warrior to him. 

"It is this Nipon, who is making such trouble 
for us. Hasten to set her free, otherwise I 
shall be conquered by her." 

The warrior set Nipon free as Poon had 
commanded. At that very instant the winds 
became silent, the snow ceased falling, and the 
rain disappeared. The Summer maiden turned 
wearily to the south to her home in the Sun 
land. She stumbled forward on her journey, 
travelling for many moons with a faint heart. 
But at last she saw before her the sunshine, 
and hope crept into her heart again. She en- 
tered this land of sunshine, and soon she came 
to where there were green trees and bright 
flowers and birds gaily singing. Nipon stepped 
forward with a firmer tread. The way was no 
longer dreary, for her heart was filled with 
hope. Her grey hair was beginning to glisten 
with sunshine again, and her face grew younger 
and fairer. Then, at last, her youth and beauty 
came back to her. The birds and the butter- 
flies knew her and sang, "Our own has come 
back to us." And the trees and flowers echoed 
the song "Our own has come back to us." 

When Nipon reached her grandmother's 
country, she found the rain clouds heavy about 



152 



JOYFUL STAR 



it. Thick rain was falling, the winds blew, and 
the thunder roared, but Nipon went into the 
heart of the storm and at last in a flash of light- 
ning she saw K'me-wan's wigwam. 

K'me-wan was weak and worn. "Ah, child 
of my child, thou hast well-nigh killed me with 
thy disobedience !" K'me-wan lamented. 

"My grandmother/ ' Nipon answered, "I did 
not know that Poon was so wicked and cruel. 
The North land looked so bright and alluring 
to me, I was filled with longing to go to it. 
And I thought that thou didst not know." 

K'me-wan turned wearily on her bed. 
"Thou child of my child," she said, "thou hast 
brought great suffering upon us all. If my 
warriors had not won the victory over Poon, 
all life would have died. Over all the earth 
Winter would have spread his garment of ice 
and snow. Take warning, thou heedless one, 
for never again can I make such a struggle to 
save the world from the rule of ice and 
snow. ' 9 

Then Nipon, sorrowing for her disobedience, 
passed out of K'me-wan's wigwam into the 
storm. She journeyed on through the wind 
and rain until at last she came to her own Sun 
land. 

Nipon, the Summer maiden, weaving a gar- 
ment of soft green leaves and bright flowers 
said: 



NIPON THE SUMMER MAIDEN 153 

"My own Sun land, never again will I leave 
thee." 

And from over all the land Nipon heard the 
soft, happy song: 

"Nipon, our own, has come back to us — has 
come back to us." 



THE PUNISHMENT OF TIS-SE-YAK 



A Legend of the Yosemite Valley re-told from U. S. Geog. 
and Geol. Survey, Vol. III. 

LONG ago, in the early days, in a far-off: 
country, an Indian and his wife went 
upon a journey. They travelled for many 
moons, and at last, foot-sore and weary, they 
entered the Yosemite Valley. 

Now Tis-se-yak, the wife, bore a very heavy 
burden. She bent far over under the weight 
of her heavy conical basket, which she carried 
strapped across her forehead. Although the 
burden was so great, Tis-se-yak strode far ahead 
of her husband, who was walking easily in the 
distance behind her, with a rude staff in his 
hand and a blanket thrown over his shoulder. 
Tis-se-yak, although so weary and worn, moved 
with quick steps, for there was deep anger in 
her heart. She, the woman — the weaker one — 
must be the beast of burden, while the strong, 
young warrior behind her walked lightly aided 
by his staff and bearing only his blanket ! And 
the woman hastened forward, goaded on by her 
bitter resentment. 

154 



THE PUNISHMENT OF TIS-SE-YAK 155 



It happened that these Indians were very- 
thirsty, for they had travelled far in a land 
without water. As they entered the valley, 
they saw before them a lake of water, sparkling 
and blue in the sunshine. Both hastened for- 
ward to drink of the cool waters; but the 
woman, being far in advance of the man, 
reached the water's side first. 

Tis-se-yak knelt beside the lake, and drank 
long, deep draughts of the water. Her thirst 
would not be quenched. So, in her anger, lit- 
tle caring whether or not there were any water 
for her husband, she drank every drop before 
her! 

So, it befell that when the man reached the 
place, the water of the lake was gone! There 
was not even one little drop with which he 
might quench his thirst. And the thing the 
woman, Tis-se-yak, had done, kindled his heart 
with fierce anger. So he seized his staff and 
smote her. 

Tis-se-yak fled before him, and he pursued 
her and beat her yet the more. And the 
woman wept, and in her anger, she turned 
about reviling the man, and threw her basket 
at him. 

Now, the Great Man Above was displeased 
with his children because of the anger they 
held toward each other. And while they stood 



156 



JOYFUL STAR 



facing each other, filled with wrath, behold ! he 
transformed them into stone, because of their 
great wickedness. And there they have re- 
mained to this day. The basket, which the 
woman threw at her husband lies upturned be- 
side him, transformed into stone, and Tis-se- 
yak's face is tear-stained with long, dark lines 
trailing down. 



THE MAIDEN WHO WAS BLESSED BY THE 
BUFFALO AND THE CORN 



An Arikara Tradition re-told from Dorsey's Traditions of 
the Arikara collected under the auspices of the Carnegie In- 
stitute. 

IN an Arikara village, long ago, there lived 
a woman with her baby girl. One day, late 
in the summer, when the ripened vegetables 
and corn were lying in great heaps near the 
lodge, the rain began to fall. The woman stood 
in the doorway with her baby in her arms. 

"I must place the corn and vegetables in 
shelter from the rain," she thought, "they will 
spoil if they become wet, and then we shall 
have great hunger when the cold snows of win- 
ter are about us." 

In her excitement and anxiety, the mother 
forgot the bed whereon she might place the 
babe, and laid her upon the buffalo skull be- 
fore the altar. Then she hastened to her 
duties. 

The buffalo skull saw the baby and thought: 
"The mother hath given me this child for my 
own. Hi-ni; hi-ni; — thou hath pleased, thou 
hath pleased me by giving me this baby." 

157 



158 



JOYFUL STAR 



Now, over the buffalo skull, there hung an 
ear of corn in which dwelt the spirit of Mother- 
Corn. Understanding the buffalo's thought 
she said : 

"The mother did not give to thee the baby. 
She placed it there for thee and me to watch 
over and protect while she is gathering in her 
food from the rain. Let us, now, bless the 
baby. Let us give of our power to this child, 
so shall she be a blessing to her people. " 

And the buffalo skull answered: "It is 
well." So the two blessed the child, and gave 
of their power freely. 

As the little girl grew, she gave indications 
of possessing power given by the gods. She 
would eat no corn or squash, but only that food 
which Mother-Corn would partake of when she 
made herself manifest to her children. As the 
maiden grew to womanhood, she was ever will- 
ing and able to help those in need of her. Was 
one sick? The maiden caused the sickness to 
disappear. Was one sorrowful? That one the 
maiden comforted. Aaid for these deeds of 
hers, was she honoured and loved by all her 
tribe. 

When the maiden was grown to womanhood, 
there came a famine upon the village, when 
death and distress could not be driven away by 
the power of the medicine men. And the people 
visited the maiden who had been blessed by the 



THE MAIDEN WHO WAS BLESSED 159 



buffalo and the corn, and asked her to help 
them. 

"It is well, my people," she answered them. 
"I can give to thee aid." Then she went 
throughout the village, pausing at every lodge. 

"Open the cellar and clean it," she said to 
every one. This the people did, and they gave 
to the maiden the corn and the other vege- 
tables they had been saving for seed. The 
-maiden again passed through the village. 
Again she paused at every lodge. 

"What keepest thou in thy cellar 1 ?" she 
asked. And whatever they answered, corn, or 
beans, or squash, the maiden placed the seed 
of that vegetable in the cellar. ' ' Open the cel- 
lar in four days," she said and passed on to 
another lodge. Into every lodge of the village 
entered the maiden, placing the seeds and say- 
ing, "Open the cellar in four days." 

When, at last, the fourth day arrived, the 
people hastened to their cellars and there they 
beheld in great abundance the corn and beans 
and squashes and all other vegetables, the 
seeds of which the maiden had placed there. 

And all the people blessed Mother-Corn, and 
made offerings to her and to the spirit of the 
buffalo. For it was through their power that 
the maiden had been able to drive the famine 
and sickness from them. 



THE TRUSTWORTHY ONE 



A Tradition of the Caddo, re-told from Dorsey's Traditions 
of the Caddo, collected under the auspices of the Carnegie 
Institute. 

IN the beginning of the world, there were 
no plants or vegetables for the people, and 
one day, the Great Father seeing the needs of 
his children, created the seed of all growing 
things. Then the Great Father thought: 

"How shall I give these seeds to the earth- 
children? Who is there trustworthy enough 
to carry these precious gifts for mef 

And the Great Father above looked about 
upon his people. "Who among all these I 
have created is trustworthy enough to carry 
these precious gifts for me?" he again thought, 
as he passed in and out among his people. At 
last, in a quiet place, the Great Father saw 
the Snake-woman. 

"Ah! that one is wise, that one is trust- 
worthy. I will give these seeds to the Snake- 
woman, and I will tell her about them," he 
determined, "so that she may teach my chil- 
dren of the earth." 
So the Great Father above gave to the Snake- 

160 



THE TRUSTWORTHY ONE 161 



woman seeds of all things that would grow upon 
earth. He taught her how to plant them, and 
how to care for them while they were young, 
and how to gather them when they were ripe, 
and how to prepare them for food. 

After all these things, the Snake-woman 
called her two sons, who helped her carry the 
seeds throughout the world to the people. She 
gave six seeds of each kind to every person, 
teaching him about them all that the Great 
Father had told to her. 

"But remember,' ' she said, "the seeds be- 
long to me until they are ripe. Allow no one 
to touch them, or even to point at them while 
they are growing. Especially allow no young 
children to tamper with them. For if thou 
shouldst do this, a great curse will I send upon 
thee. I will send a poisonous serpent to bite 
thee. If any one gathers the seed before it is 
ripe, him also, will I punish. To that one also, 
will I send the poisonous serpent." 

And the people promised the Snake-woman 
that they would obey her words. And from 
that day parents tell their children about the 
Snake-woman and the gifts she brought to 
them from the Great Father. And no child 
would touch, or even point at a growing plant, 
in fear of the serpent which the Snake-woman 
threatened to send upon them. 

After the Snake-woman had gone through- 



162 



JOYFUL STAR 



out the world instructing the people about the 
seeds, in every way even as the Great Father 
had taught her, she returned to her home in 
the country above, to the quiet place where the 
Great Father had sought her to do his bidding, 
because she was worthy of his trust. 



THE MAIDEN AND THE GRIZZLY BEAR 



A P0NKA LEGEND 

IN the long ago, when men were as animals 
and animals were as men, some Indians 
encamped in a great forest. Near them was 
the den- of a Grizzly bear, but this the people 
did not know. 

One day a maiden gathering fuel wandered 
near the den of the Grizzly bear. The Grizzly 
bear came to her and talked with her. And 
when she returned to the encampment she 
thought continually of Mangtshu, Grizzly bear ; 
but she told no one of this thing. Day after 
day the maiden went alone to gather wood for 
the fire, and day after day she spent long hours 
with the Grizzly bear. 
Behold ! she loved the Grizzly bear. 
One day a stranger, wandering through the 
forest, came upon the bear's den, and there he 
saw the Grizzly bear stretched out asleep. 
When he reached the encampment he said: 

"A Grizzly bear is near you. He is yonder 
fast asleep in his den. Beware, lest he kill one 
of the people suddenly." 

163 



164 



JOYFUL STAR 



Then the men gathered together to surround 
the den and kill the bear, and the maiden's 
father went with them. 

"0 Dadiha, father,' ' she called, running after 
her father, "please bring me the skin of the 
Grizzly bear." 

They killed the Grizzly bear, and the father 
begged of all the people to give him the skin; 
therefore it was given to him. Then the father 
carried the skin to his wigwam and said to the 
mother : 

' i Fasten down the skin yonder. ' ' 

But the maiden quickly took the skin and 
went away alone and began working upon it. 
And as she worked she cried continually, whis- 
pering. "Ay-thah! Ay-thah!" 

Her little sister saw her weeping, and went 
to her trying to comfort her. But the maiden 
did not notice her. She continued weeping and 
whispering, "Ay-thah! Ay-thah!" 

"Mother," called the little sister, "this one 
when she works on the skin of the Grizzly bear 
says nothing but, ' Ay-thah! Ay-thah!' " 

Then the maiden ceased her sorrowing, and 
so the mother saw her working quietly on the 
bear skin. But when the mother was again at 
her work in the distance, the maiden began her 
weeping and her moaning of "Ay-thah! Ay- 
thah!" 

Again the little sister called, "Mother, this 



THE MAIDEN AND THE GRIZZLY BEAR 165 



one, when she works on the skin of the Grizzly 
bear says nothing but 'Ay-thah! Ay-thah!' " 

But the mother continued at her work in the 
distance and the maiden was alone with her sor- 
row. At last the work on the bear skin was 
finished and she placed it to dry. When it was 
dried, the children were playing games, and 
she who had loved the Grizzly bear joined them 
in their sport. 

"0 little sister, go after my Grizzly bear 
skin," she said. So the little sister brought 
her the skin and the maiden tied it about her 
whole body. Then, crying regularly, like a 
Grizzly bear, she sprang upon them. The terri- 
fied children fled to safety. 

' i The Grizzly bear will attack us, ' ' they cried. 
Then she who had loved the Grizzly bear took 
off the skin and was as she had been be- 
fore. 

But upon another day they played the game 
and again the children were terrified, and again 
their fears died away when the maiden had laid 
aside the bear skin. And again they played the 
game. But the fourth time they played to- 
gether, when the maiden tried to take off the 
Grizzly bear's skin, it clung to her. She had 
become a Grizzly bear! Soon she had de- 
stroyed all her little playmates — all were killed 
except her little sister. She alone remained. 
Then she who had become a Grizzly bear ran 



166 



JOYFUL STAR 



throughout the encampment destroying all the 
lodges and all the people. Only those escaped 
who were away hunting. 

Then this one went to the bear's den, taking 
with her her little sister whom she placed near 
the entrance of the den. She, herself, went 
to the back of the den and fell asleep. Day 
after day she would say to her little sister : 

"You have hunger. Go to the place of the 
lodges and eat." 

One day when the little sister was nearing the 
destroyed lodge of her father she saw four 
men there. Behold! they were her brothers. 
They had returned from a long hunting trip 
to find the encampment destroyed and the dead 
bodies of the people scattered about. And 
their little sister stood before them, crying : 

"Oh! elder brothers, our sister has utterly 
destroyed those who dwelt in the village.' 9 

"Why did she so?" they asked. 

"Elder brothers, my sister is now a Grizzly 
bear," and the little sister kept on with her 
crying. 

"Do not cry," they comforted her. "We 
will plan a way of escape from her. What time 
does she allow you to go out for food?" 

"I come at this time every morning. But 
do you sleep yonder, under those trees. It is 
near the den, and I will not have so far to jour- 
ney in the morning." Then the little sister 



THE MAIDEN AND THE GRIZZLY BEAR 167 



sped back to the bear's den. The Grizzly 
bear threw back her head and sniffed the air. 

"I smell human beings/' she declared. 
"You have been near human beings. Tell me 
where they are." 

Again and again the child denied it, and at 
last wearied with arguing, they both fell asleep. 

The next morning the little sister left the 
bear's den at the usual time, and soon came 
upon her brothers in hiding. Then they 
hastened away without stopping. In one place 
they came to a creek, and one brother took off 
his moccasins and leggings, and waded across, 
carrying his sister upon his back; and then 
they fled straight across the country. 

Now when the sun was high over the forest, 
and the little sister had not returned to the 
bear's den, she who had become a Grizzly bear 
followed upon the trail and gained upon the 
fugitives. At last she saw them kindling a 
fire. 

"Yes, wherever you go," she said, "how can 
you escape me!" 

Then they hurried away with the Grizzly 
bear still following upon their trail. Soon 
they saw her near again, and one brother 
caused four mountain peaks to rise behind 
them. The Grizzly bear must cross over each 
peak, and by that time they would be far 
away. But soon they looked behind. 



168 



JOYFUL STAR 



"Oho! your sister has come in sight. Do 
your best, ' ' they said to one another. So they 
went on, she following them. She almost over- 
took them. 

Then the eldest brother caused thorns to 
spring from the ground. They grew very 
close together like a hedge. The Grizzly bear 
made her way through them, torn and bleeding 
and crying on account of the thorns. 

"You have made me suffer so much, you shall 
surely die," she called to them. 

Then the second brother created a dense for- 
est, and beyond that many bushes close together 
covering a large tract of land. The Grizzly 
bear travelled slowly and painfully through 
these, and at last came in sight of her brothers 
and her little sister. 

"As you have made me suffer not a little,' ? 
she said, "all of you shall surely die." 

Then the third brother said: 

"I will now make an attempt to save our 
lives." He caused to grow very sharp thorns, 
resembling awls. They pierced through and 
through the foot. The Grizzly bear walked, 
scattering blood at every step. Again she 
overtook them. 

"As you have made me suffer not a little," 
she said again, moaning with pain, "all of you 
shall surely die." 

She was now close upon them, and the young- 



THE MAIDEN AND THE GRIZZLY BEAR 169 



est brother, putting forth all his strength, 
willed that the ground should open in front of 
her. And as the Grizzly bear jumped over the 
chasm, the parting of the ground became wider 
and wider, and she fell into the darkness be- 
low. 

The brothers returned to the place and killed 
her. Then the ground came together as it had 
been before, covering that one who had loved 
and who had become like that which she had 
loved. 

'And this was in the long ago, when men were 
as animals and animals were as men. 



THE STORY OF NISH-FANG, A HUPA 
MAIDEN 



Re-told from U. S. Geol. and Geog. Survey of Rocky Mt. 
Region. Contributions to N. A. Ethnology, Vol. III. 

THERE was once a Hupa maiden named 
Nish-Fang. She dwelt over the moun- 
tains a journey of four sleeps from her own 
people. 

Now, it happened that there came to Nish- 
Fang that experience so full of mystery, which 
indicated to her that she had entered the estate 
of womanhood. And Nish-Fang was filled with 
the desire to return to her own people that she 
might be ushered into the sisterhood of women. 
For without these observances, she must for- 
ever remain an outcast from her tribe, dis- 
honoured and despised. 

Nish-Fang had been trained by her mother 
and her grandmother in the knowledge of all 
that pertains to the life of an Indian woman, 
and she knew that she must fast nine days, be- 
fore she could be fitted for the consecrat- 
ing ritual of the puberty dance. Nish-Fang 's 
heart was so filled with the desire and longing 

170 



THE STORY OF NISH-FANG 



171 



to prepare herself for the ancient custom, that 
she determined to begin her fast at once, and 
not wait until she had reached her own village. 
So for three days she fasted, and then with a 
group of Hupa maidens, she set out for her 
home. There were rough mountains to climb, 
and deep canons to cross, and wild, lonesome 
forests to pass through, and Nish-Fang was 
weak and faint from fasting when she began 
her journey. Yet, as she went forward, Nish- 
Fang carefully kept her face covered with 
both hands; for no man might see her face, 
during her nine days of fasting. Should that 
happen, that one would surely die! So, weary 
and stumbling, Nish-Fang kept her face buried 
in her hands. Sometimes when her strength 
utterly failed her, the maidens with her would 
hold up her hands for her, and sometimes they 
would group themselves about her while she 
rested. 

The trail was hard to follow, for the moun- 
tains were rough and rocky, and very steep, 
and the valleys were thick with thorns and 
sharp-pointed rocks. But these did not cause 
Nish-Fang to falter, or think of going back. 
Ever before her thoughts was the sacred ritual 
she must observe, or else forever after be an 
outcast from her tribe. So, with this thought 
to spur her on, she staggered along upon her 
journey. 



172 



JOYFUL STAR 



Once, they passed through a great, silent 
forest of giant red-wood trees, so tall that they 
seemed to brush against the sky. Then they 
entered a deep canon where the daylight was 
hidden from them by the unfriendly branches 
of the red-wood trees, where the shrieks of the 
coyote pierced the darkness, rilling them with 
fear. 

But ever as they journeyed, Nish-Fang kept 
her face buried in her hands. Once, a pack- 
train passed them, and although the travellers 
were the ancient enemies of Nish-Fang's 
people, and one glance from her might have 
destroyed them all, every one, — yet the maiden 
closely covered her face, and the enemies 
thought that a poor, blind woman was totter- 
ing along the way, never thinking how near 
they were to death! 

At last, the long, difficult journey was nearly 
ended. Under a large, lonely fig-tree they 
rested and drank of the cool water from the 
spring. The maidens gathered about Nish- 
Fang to help her on this last stretch of the 
way. But, Nish-Fang could go no farther. 
She sank to the ground in a swoon, but even 
in her unconsciousness she still kept her face 
closely covered. 

Her companions lifted her from the ground 
and carried her down the mountain, under the 
cool trees, and at last, they entered their own 





Photo by Goddard. By courtesy of Bureau of American Ethnology. 

A Hupa Woman. 
A member of the " Society of Women." 



THE STORY OF NISH-FANG 



173 



native village, where kindly arms carried her 
to her home. 

And there, when the nine days' fasting was 
finished, in the shadow of a little grove of oak 
trees, the Hupa danced around her and chanted 
the ancient chorals of the puberty dance. Then 
the priest lifted her by the hand, and the maiden 
Nish-Fang became a woman of her tribe. 



THE OGRESS AND THE MOTHER 



A Legend of Vancouver Island re-told from Schoolcraft. 

IN the days of the Ancients, there lived on 
Vancouver Island a terrible ogress. Her 
teeth were long, like the teeth of a wolf; and 
her finger-nails were just like sharp claws. 
Now the dreadful thing about this ogress was, 
that she could transform herself into a harm- 
less-looking little squirrel whenever she wished. 

Like all ogresses, she ate little children 
whenever she could secure them. She would 
turn herself into a cunning little grey squirrel 
and dart about among the children at play. 
Then she would capriciously lure them deeper 
and deeper into the forest, nearer and nearer 
her cave, until, at last, the children would find 
themselves imprisoned in the den of the ter- 
rible ogress. And many and many were the 
broken hearts, and many and many were the 
empty cradles that the ogress left in the dismal 
lodges. 

One day, a little boy was playing near the 
edge of the forest, and his mother said to him : 
" Child of mine, do not wander in the forest, 

174 



THE OGKESS AND THE MOTHER 175 



for the terrible ogress may seize yon. Then 
would the lodge be empty and dark and 
cold." 

And the child promised his mother that he 
would not enter the forest. But, as soon as 
his mother had turned away, there stood be- 
fore the child a bright-eyed little squirrel. It 
looked up into the child 's face and chirped. The 
child laughed, and put out his hand to catch 
the friendly little fellow. But the squirrel 
hopped ahead a little way and chirped again. 
This made the boy all the more eager to gain 
possession of the bright little animal. He for- 
got the warning of his mother, and followed the 
squirrel into the forest. Farther and farther 
into the deep woods he went, not noticing that 
he was in a strange part of the forest, far, far 
from home. At last, just as it seemed to the 
child that the squirrel could not escape him, he 
found himself in a cave, and there before him 
stood — instead of the friendly little squirrel — 
a terrible ogress, with long teeth, and sharp, 
cruel claws. 

The ogress seized the boy and was just going 
to eat him, when something happened! 

The child's mother, busy about the lodge, 
felt her heart grow cold within her. She 
quickly drew aside the skins in the doorway 
and looked for that one, who had been playing 
so happily in the sunshine near the edge of the 



176 



JOYFUL STAR 



forest. He was not there. She ran to the 
place were she had left him, and found the trail 
he had made. And she knew, at once, that he 
had been lured into the forest by the terrible 
ogress. She quickly followed the trail, weep- 
ing bitterly. 

6 ' Alas, alas! My child, my little one!" she 
mourned. Then, in her despair, she cried aloud 
to the Great Spirit. 

"0 Great Spirit! Great Medicine! Save 
my son — in any way — in any form!" 

And the great, good Father looked down 
upon the poor mother, as she stumbled along 
the trail, blinded by her tears — and he pitied 
her. 

And, lo! the child in the ogress's claws grew 
small, and its dark skin turned into fur, and 
there slid from the ogress's grasp a merry, 
bright-eyed squirrel. But upon its sides it 
bore the marks of the sharp claws of the ogress, 
as she tried to keep him in her grasp. And 
these marks may be seen, even to this day, upon 
the descendants of that squirrel. 

When the child, in the form of the squirrel, 
ran out of the ogress's cave, he followed the 
trail toward his home, and soon he came upon 
his mother. And the mother-love recognised 
her son. 

"Ah, my child, my dear one! The Great 



THE OGRESS AND THE MOTHER 177 



Spirit lias saved thee from the hands of the 
cruel ogress." 

And then the mother turned from the deep 
forest, content that the Great Spirit had heard 
her prayer. 



KOROBONA THE STRONG OF HEART 



A GUIANA LEGEND 

LONG ago, when the Warns first dwelt 
upon the earth, there lived the beautiful 
maiden Korobona. This one was as wilful as 
she was beautiful; and she was as brave of 
heart, as she was wilful and beautiful. 

There was a lake whose waters were so clear 
that Korobona could look into it and see her 
own happy " other self" smiling back at her. 
The maiden, Korobona, might drink of the 
clear, cold water, but she might not bathe in it. 
For her father had said to her and to her four 
brothers and to her younger sister: 

4 * Drink of the water, but do not bathe 
therein, or great harm will follow. This the 
Great Spirit commanded us when he created 
it for our use. 

"Once we lived in a happy region above the 
sky, where beautiful birds abounded and pro- 
vided our hunters with game. One day, it 
happened, that a young hunter sped an arrow 
after a bird. But the arrow missed its mark 
and fell to the ground. The hunter, while 

178 



KOROBONA THE STRONG OF HEART 179 



searching for the arrow, found an opening in 
the earth through which the arrow had fallen. 
He looked down, and there far below him, he 
saw this lower world stretched out beneath, 
with herds of animals feeding and roaming 
through its green forests. 

" 'I shall travel thence, also,' he deter- 
mined. So he told his people about this wonder- 
ful place below, and they helped him make a 
ladder of cotton, and held it for him while he 
climbed down into the regions far below. 
There he found so much game that he hastened 
back to the heavenly regions to tell his people 
about the wonders he had seen. 

"The place below, teeming with animals 
waiting to be killed and eaten, seemed so won- 
derful to the sky people, that they hungered 
to taste of the food, which they thought must 
be better than that provided for them by the 
Great Spirit. So without waiting for the con- 
sent of the Great Spirit, they ran to the hole 
in the sky, and down the cotton ladder to the 
earth below. 

"Now, the entire tribe of Warn had climbed 
down the ladder except one fat, old woman. 
And when she tried to climb through the open- 
ing in the sky, she found it to be too small. 
Then she struggled to climb back to the sky 
country again, but she could not do that. She 
is v there to this day, closing the entrance to the 



180 



JOYFUL STAR 



sky country, so that the Warns could never 
return. 

"The Great Spirit was still kind to his chil- 
dren, although they had left their beautiful 
country in sky land which he had prepared for 
them. He made for them the Essequibo Eiver 
and other streams, and then he made for them 
this lake of delicious water, charging them 
only to drink of it, but never to bathe therein, 
or evil would ensue. 

"This was the command of the Great Spirit. 
See to it, my children, that ye obey." 

These words the Waru chieftain had spoken 
to Korobona, the wilful, beautiful one, and to 
her four brothers, and to her younger sister. 
All remembered the words of their father and 
obeyed them. The sons obeyed without ques- 
tion, but Korobona and her sister wondered 
why the Great Spirit should have placed such 
a taboo upon the clear sparkling water. 

Often they would sit beside the water and 
try to solve the mystery. At length, one evil 
day, Korobona said: 

"Let us solve this mystery! Let us go into 
the forbidden place !" 

And the maidens ventured into the water. 
As they swam about they saw far out in the 
middle of the lake something that looked like 
a tree growing in the water. 

"Perhaps this will solve the mystery," 



KOROBONA THE STRONG OF HEART 181 



Korobona said. "Let us go to it." But the 
younger sister's courage gave way, and she 
fled back to the shore. 

Korobona, strong of heart, approached the 
tree, and seizing it, shook it, saying: "Tell me 
now, what mystery do you conceal? I have 
disobeyed my father: I have not observed the 
command of the Great Spirit : I have come : now 
tell me what mystery you hold from my 
people?'' 

Suddenly the waters parted and before 
Korobona, stood a handsome youth. 

"I am the Spirit of the lake," he said. "You 
have broken the charm that held me. Now, 
hereafter, you must belong to me. You must 
foe my wife." 

So Korobona became the wife of the Spirit 
of the lake. She lived with her people as be- 
fore, but visited the lake in secret. Even the 
younger sister knew nothing of the youth who 
had answered Korobona 's summons. 

Then there came to Korobona a child — a 
wonderful boy. His beauty was so great that 
Korobona 's brothers loved him, even though 
his mother refused to tell them about his father, 
who lived in his home under the lake. Then, 
again, a child was given to Korobona. And 
she fled secretly to the forest with it. Koro- 
bona 's heart was filled with a great mother- 



182 



JOYFUL STAR 



love for the child, for he was deformed. In her 
heart was the thought: 

"It may be that the Great Spirit is punish- 
ing me for my disobedience. Or perhaps my 
husband, the Spirit of the lake, is testing my 
courage. Who can tell?" 

So Korobona dwelt in secret in the forest 
with her child, the upper part of whose body 
was beautifully formed, but the lower part of 
which was like that of the python of the rivers 
and swamps of Guiana. 

At length, Korobona 's secret was discovered. 
The brothers stole to the forest, and when the 
mother had left the child alone, they trans- 
fixed it with arrows, and hastened away leav- 
ing it, as they thought, dead. 

When Korobona returned to her child — that 
one smitten by the Great Spirit — she found the 
body still warm, pierced with the arrows of her 
brothers. Then, that one strong of heart 
carefully withdrew the arrows and bound up 
the wounds. And then she, by the power of 
her mother-love, called it back to life again. 

Yet again, the brothers became suspicious, 
for they saw that Korobona made frequent 
visits to the forest. They followed her and 
saw her with that one whom they supposed 
dead, now large and strong. 

"This creature will overpower us," they 
said. "We must make an end of him. Hav- 



KOROBONA THE STRONG OF HEART 183 



ing tried to kill him, we must forever be con- 
sidered his foes. He will surely destroy us." 
So the brothers made many arrows and put 
their other weapons in order. 

Korobona seeing them thus, asked: "Why 
are these preparations going on? Is there 
war upon us ? " 

But they answered her evasively, making 
known, in this way, the thoughts in their 
hearts. Then Korobona fled to the forest and 
the brothers pursued her. 

"If I may but reach my child and save him," 
the mother thought. 

But the brothers were close upon her, and as 
she neared the place in the forest where the 
child was wont to meet her, the arrows sent 
by her brothers passed on before her and 
struck the child, who staggered to his mother's 
arms for refuge. 

Korobona struggled to hold him from her 
brothers. Her arms, although so strong to de- 
fend the child, were forced open, and before 
her eyes her child — helpless because of his de- 
formity — was destroyed. Then the brothers 
left her with the parts of the child's body 
scattered over the ground about her. 

And Korobona 's heart did not fail her in 
the forest. She gathered up the parts of the 
body and placed them together, covering them 
with fresh, green leaves; and in her great 



184 



JOYFUL STAR 



mother-love she brooded over them. Then, 
there slowly arose from the leaves, an Indian 
warrior of majestic and terrible appearance. 
His brow was of a brilliant red; he held bow 
and arrows in his hand, and he was equipped 
for instant battle. 

"My mother/' he said. And Korobona 
looking npon him knew that she beheld the 
father of a great, powerful race. Her son, that 
warrior who stood before her, was the first 
Carib. 

At once, he began the task of revenge for 
the wrongs he had suffered in his former exist- 
ence. Neither his uncles nor any of the Waru 
race could stand before him. He drove them 
hither and thither. He, the child of Korobona, 
the strong of heart, became the father of the 
race which has driven the Waru out from the 
country, and at last into the swampy regions 
where they now dwell. 

Such was the work accomplished by the beau- 
tiful maiden — by the woman, powerful in her 
great mother-love, by Korobona, the strong of 
heart. 



THE SECRET OF DOWANHOTANINWIN 



A SIOUX LEGEND 

THE maiden Dowanhotaninwin, Her-Sing- 
ing-Heard, lived alone with her grand- 
parents. They had been father and mother to 
her since her tenth year. 

One day of her childhood was always very 
near to Dowanhotaninwin — that last day she 
had had her mother. They had begun the 
day's work without thought of danger, and soon 
their happy activity was interrupted by the 
cry of danger. Then the little Dowanhotanin- 
win saw strange warriors running about the 
village and she heard the screams of their vic- 
tims. Then she saw her father surrounded by 
these people, and when they left him, he was 
quiet and still upon the ground, and they car- 
ried his scalp with them. And then the child 
saw them seize her mother and carry her away 
a captive. — But Dowanhotaninwin they had not 
seen in her hiding place. When the savages 
had gone, the maiden crept away to her grand- 
mother's wigwam, and there she had lived from 
that day. 

"Why do the people delight in killing one 

185 



186 



JOYFUL STAR 



another V ' she would ask herself, as the years 
went by. "My people go out on the warpath 
or on hunting expeditions and they fall upon 
poor people, just as the Sacs and Foxes fell 
upon us. And I know that my people have left 
many wigwams desolate, many maidens have 
they left sorrowful, just as I have been left de- 
prived of my mother and my father. ■ 9 

Sometimes when the old men of the village 
were gathered together talking of former days 
of valour, the maiden Dowanhotaninwin would 
appear before them, standing silently with 
downcast eyes. And then at length one would 
say; 

" Speak maiden," for she was ever a fa- 
vourite with the people. The child raising her 
eyes would unfailingly ask : 

"Why do people delight in destroying one 
another? The Great Spirit made all. Is it 
pleasing to the Great Spirit for his people to 
kill one another! The Great Spirit cannot be 
glad when children are made desolate without 
father to provide for them and without mother 
to protect and to comfort them.'' 

And the old warriors would answer uneasily, 
' 6 Daughter, we do not know the thoughts of the 
Great Spirit, but we know that this is an ancient 
custom, and the warrior who secures the great- 
est number of scalp-locks is the most honoured 
warrior among us. This is the custom." 



THE SECEET OF D 0 W ANII 0 T ANINWIN 187 



Now, as Dowanhotaninwin pondered over 
these things, there came to her the thought that 
she might help destroy this time-honoured cus- 
tom, at least to the extent that she might be 
the means of forming a compact of friendship 
between her people and the cruel Sacs and 
Foxes. Gradually she made the determination 
not to marry one of her own people, the Sioux, 
but she would give herself in marriage to a war- 
rior of the Sacs and Foxes. This formation 
of a blood brotherhood would end all enmity 
between these tribes. 

This was the secret of Dowanhotaninwin. 

It seemed that the Great Spirit must have 
thought to requite her, in a measure, for the 
loss of her parents, for Dowanhotaninwin had 
more gifts than is usual for one maiden to pos- 
sess. She was unusually womanly and beauti- 
ful. No maiden was more skilled than she in 
all the arts that contribute to the happiness and 
prosperity of a wigwam. The bravest war- 
riors sought her, but Dowanhotaninwin quietly 
turned them away, hiding her secret in her 
heart. There were those who thought, "If I 
can do great injury to the tribe that bereft her 
of her parents, she will look with favour upon 
me," But those, too, were turned away, al- 
though year after year she was sought in mar- 
riage. 

The years passed and found Dowanhotanin- 



188 



JOYFUL STAR 



win unmarried at thirty years of age. She was 
still cherishing this great purpose of her life. 
In all the years no one but her grandparents 
knew of her secret. Then the great oppor- 
tunity came to her. 

One summer, messengers were sent by the 
Great White Father to make a treaty of peace 
between the Sioux and their ancient enemy the 
Sacs and Foxes. And while this was being dis- 
cussed, there was a flag of truce. The war- 
riors of the Sacs and Foxes mingled freely 
with the Sioux, where Dowanhotaninwin was 
seen. 

To one of them there came the same longing 
that had possessed so many of the Sioux war- 
riors. If Dowanhotaninwin might but be in 
his wigwam! So he sought her in secret. 
Even while her old lovers were vying with each 
other in urging their suit, planning to have an 
inter-tribal celebration of her wedding, Dowan- 
hotaninwin fled by night with her lover to the 
camp of the Sacs and Foxes. 

To the Sioux warriors this seemed an insult 
not to be borne. That this one should choose, 
of all people, one from those who had made her 
life sorrowful! Only the presence of the mes- 
sengers of the Great White Father kept them 
from avenging the injury. 

In the midst of their anger and resentment, 
there came to them the call to a public meet- 



THE SECRET OF DOWANHOTANINWIN 189 



ing. When they were assembled, the aged 
grandfather of Dowanhotaninwin arose. 

4 'Warriors, my younger brothers," he said, 
"do not let this act of the maiden trouble your 
hearts. Long ago, when deprived of her father 
and mother, she saw that tribal warfare was 
wrong and displeasing to the Great Spirit. 
And as she grew to womanhood, she made the 
vow to form a bond of blood brotherhood be- 
tween our tribe and those who had caused her 
such sorrow. So she set herself apart as an 
offering. She tried to excel in all things that 
pertain to womanhood, that her offering might 
be the more pleasing to the Great Spirit. And 
she kept the secret in her heart. She has now 
carried out her high purpose. See to it that 
you do your part. I have spoken." 

The old man had no sooner taken his seat, 
than a herald of the Sacs and Foxes was seen 
approaching. High in one hand he held the 
American flag, and in the other hand he car- 
ried the pipe of peace. He was in cere- 
monial garb. He went among them singing a 
peace song, then passing the peace-pipe, he 
invited all — from the oldest to the youngest — 
to the wedding feast of Dowanhotaninwin, Her- 
Singing-Heard. Thus ended the enmity be- 
tween these tribes. 

Such was the secret of Dowanhotaninwin, the 
Sioux maiden. 



THE LAMENT OF AN IROQUOIS MOTHER 
OVER THE BODY OF HER SON 



This Lament was furnished to Lewis H. Morgan by Ha-sa- 
no-an-da, Ely S. Parker, who heard it delivered. 

U TN ancient times, the practice prevailed of 
JL addressing the dead before burial, under 
the belief that they could hear, although unable 
to answer. The near relatives and friends, or 
such as were disposed, approached the body in 
turn; and after the wail had ceased, they ad- 
dressed it in a pathetic or laudatory speech. 
The practice has not even yet entirely fallen 
into disuse. 

"The following address of an Iroquois 
mother over the body of her son was made on 
a recent occasion. Approaching his inanimate 
remains to look upon him for the last time, her 
grief for some moments was uncontrollable. 
Presently, her wailing ceased and she thus ad- 
dressed him: 

" ' My son, listen once more to the words of 
thy mother. Thou wert brought into life with 
her pains. Thou wert nourished with her life. 
She has attempted to be faithful in raising thee 
up. 

190 



THE LAMENT OF AN IROQUOIS MOTHER 191 



" 'When thou wert young, she loved thee as 
her life. Thy presence has been a source of 
great joy to her. Upon thee she depended for 
support and comfort in her declining days. 

" 'She had ever expected to gain the end of 
the path of life before thee. But thou hast 
outstripped her, and gone before her. Our 
great and wise Creator has ordered it thus. By 
his will I am left to taste more of the miseries 
of this world. 

a f r i en d s an d relatives have gathered 

about thy body, to look upon thee for the last 
time. They mourn as with one mind, thy de- 
parture from among us. 

" 'We, too, have but a few days more, and 
our journey shall be ended. We part now, and 
thou art conveyed from our sight. But we 
shall soon meet again, and shall again look 
upon each other. Then we shall part no more. 

" 'Our Maker has called thee to His home. 
Thither shall we follow. Na-hol' 99 



NOTES 



Aliquipiso — An Oneida Legend 

The position of women among the Oneidas was a most 
enviable one, so far, at least, as "women's rights" is con- 
cerned, for there were women chieftains having approximately 
the same rights, privileges, and immunities as men chiefs. 
Perhaps this made it possible for them to produce such a 
maiden as Aliquipiso. 

The village of the Oneidas suggests the one described by 
Arent Van Curler, in 1634, with near it "tremendously high 
land, that seemed to lie in the clouds." 

The Devoted Daughter 

This account of a Shawnee maiden's devotion to her parents 
is an apt illustration of this characteristic of the Indian 
maiden. It is related by John D. Hunter in his Memoirs of a 
Captivity Among the Indians of North America, published in 
1824, who remarks that "the attention and piety of the young 
females . . . were such as to equal all displays of filial tender- 
ness and patience that ever were made." 

An Algonquin Song 

This song was given by Mrs. W. Wallace Brown to Mr. 
John Reade, and published in the Can. Roy. Soc. Proc. Vol. V. 

Winona, the Sioux Maiden 

The name Weenonah or Winona is the most honoured name 
a Sioux maiden may receive, if she is the eldest child. It 
means "first born"; but it also signifies more than that; the 
bearer of the name possesses unusual wisdom; she will be 
the mother of brave warriors and wise daughters: she will 

192 



NOTES 



193 



be hospitable: she will uphold the dignity of the nation. The 
eldest born may receive this name provisionally, at birth, 
and if her character during childhood indicates that she is 
worthy of the name, she receives it formally at adolescence. 

This story was told to Major Stephen H. Long, in 1817, by 
Wazecota the guide of Major Long's party, who witnessed the 
act of Winona long years before. Keating says: "The feel- 
ings and sensations of his youth seemed to be restored; he 
lost the garrulity of age, but spoke in a manner which showed, 
that even the breast of an Indian warrior is not proof against 
the finest feelings of our natures." 

, The Princess and the Shepherd 

This story is of peculiar interest, because — according to 
Sir Clements Markham — it is the only Inca fairy tale of its 
kind which has been preserved. It was told to Fray Martin 
de Morua, in about 1585, by an Amatus — a learned man of 
the Incas whose duty it was to explain the quipu records — an 
old man, well versed in Inca Folk-lore. 

It is re-told from Markham's The Incas of Peru. 

The Two Rocks in Passamaqtjoddy Bay 

A Passamaquoddy Legend, told to Mrs. W. Wallace Brown 
of Calais, Maine, by Sapiel Selmo, keeper of the wampum 
record which was formerly read every four years at the kindling 
of the great fire at Canawagha — near Montreal, Canada. It 
is re-told from the Royal Society of Canada, Vol. V, 1887. 

The Love of Cusi-Coylltjr 

This story is retold from the translation of Sir Clements 
Markham, who, while in Peru in 1835, made a search for 
this Manuscript of which he had heard. The then rector of 
the University at Cuzco (afterwards Bishop of Cuzco) and 
an aged lady, who possessed a profound knowledge of the 
folk-lore of her countrymen, guided Mr. Markham in his 
research work. Acting upon their advice he travelled over 
the lofty range of mountains to the valleys of the eastern 



194 



NOTES 



Andes, where, in a wonderfully picturesque place, lived the 
last descendant of the Incas, Dr. Pablo Justiniani, cure" of 
the parish, who was reputed to possess the manuscript of 
Cusi-Coyllur. 

This drama-legend was handed down from one generation 
to another and was put into writing from the mouths of the 
Indians by Dr. Don Antonio Valdez, before 1782. From this, 
a copy was made by the father of Dr. Justiniani. It was from 
this mansucript that Markham made his copy of the play. 

This drama is said by Markham to be the most interesting 
and complete relic of Peruvian literature we possess. The 
period of the drama is during the reigns of the Inca 
Pachacuti and his son Tupac Yupanqui. Pachacuti, Mark- 
ham says, was "the greatest man that the American race 
has ever produced." 

How Genetaska Deserted Her Trust 

This legend of a house of peace established by the Iroquois, 
is not — so far as I can determine — founded upon any fact. 
I can find no reference to such an institution in Bancroft, 
Brinton, Morgan or Hale. But, among the Cherokees there 
was Echoteh, the City of Refuge and Peace, where even mur- 
derers at least found a temporary asylum. In this City of 
Refuge lived a group of men called the "Beloved Men," who 
kept a fire burning continually. These Beloved Men pos- 
sessed the influence and power of Sanctuary. In their pres- 
ence, blood could not be shed, and even outside the city any one 
under their protection was secure from all harm. From Gal- 
latin's A Synopsis of the Indian Tribes, etc., in Transactions 
of the American Antiquarian Society, 1836. 

A Song of the Taensa 

The Taensa, whom Brinton says were an unusually cultivated 
people, were a small tribe dwelling on the banks of the lower 
Mississippi, now (1883) extinct. An account of them was 
made by a Spanish missionary. The following song Brinton 
quotes from Grammaire et Vocabularie de la Langue Taensa, 



NOTES 



195 



aveo Textes traduits et commentes. Par J. D. Haumonte, 
Parisot, et L. Adam. Paris, 1882. 

The Maiden and the Grizzly Bear 

The Ponkas with four other tribes who dwell in the Kocky 
Mountain regions form the Dhegiha branch of the numerous 
Siouan family. 

This remarkable legend was told to the Eev. J. Owen Dorsey 
by a Ponka chief Nudang-axa, Cried to go on the War-path. 
Mr. Dorsey in his Myths, Stories and Legends of the Dhegiha 
( Contributions to North American Ethnology, Vol. VI ) , states 
that since 1871 he has known Nudang-axa, who furnished 
him with eleven myths and other papers. 

The Ponkas must have retained many of those Siouan 
traits about which Eastman writes so convincingly in his 
"Soul of the Indian," in order to evolve such a creed as the 
one discovered in this legend. 

The idea of the development of evil in a person is graphic- 
ally drawn, as well as the fate awaiting such an unfortunate. 
First there is just the awakening interest in that which ap- 
peals to the lower part of one's nature. Then, deeper interest, 
dwelling in secret thought upon it; the gradual giving up 
of the higher self until, in the end, the great chasm closes 
over that one who had loved and who had become like that 
which she had loved. 

The Story of Nish-Fang 

This story indicates that the tribe of Indians who could 
produce people with such strength of purpose as Nish-Fang 
displayed: whose teachings could inculcate such veneration 
for ancient customs, must have traits of character peculiar 
to themselves. Stephen Powers in his government report 
makes the following statement: "Next after the Karok 
they are the finest race in all that region, and they even 
excel them in their statecraft, and in the singular influence, 
or perhaps brute force, which they exercise over the vicinal 
tribes. They are the Komans of Northern California in their 



196 



NOTES 



valor and their wide-reaching dominions; they are the French 
in the extended diffusion of their language." 

KOEOBONA — THE STRONG OF HEART 

A Waru legend, found in Im Thurn's Among the Indians of 
Guiana, and also in Rev. W. H. Brett's The Indian Tribes of 
Guiana. It is re-told from Brett's work. It was told to Mr. 
Brett by "a Waru from the remote Aruca, a man very small 
in stature, but great as an authority in the legends of the 
people." Mr. Brett asked this Waru whether it were true 
that the Waru nation had formerly inhabited the banks of 
the Essequibo, and had been driven thence to the swamps, by 
the fortunes of war. In reply, the Waru with grave earnest- 
ness told Mr. Brett that the original abode of the Warus, 
according to an ancient belief, was not on this earth at all, 
but in a wonderful region above the sky, where all were 
happy, and where there were no wicked men or fierce wild 
animals to> make them afraid. Then the Waru told him the 
legend of their coming to this earth and of their being con- 
quered by a Carib, who was half of Waru, and half of 
celestial origin. 

The Secret of Dowanhotaninwin 

This legend belongs to one of the most widely extended 
Indian nations of North America. Charles A. Eastman, a 
Sioux Indian himself, writes of them, "It is said that the 
position of women is the test of civilization, and that of our 
women was secure. In them was vested our standard of 
morals and the purity of our blood. The wife did not take 
the name of her husband, nor enter his clan, and the children 
belonged to the clan of the mother. All the family property 
was held by her, descent was traced in the maternal line, 
and the honour of the house was in her hands." It was from 
such women as these, that Dowanhotaninwin sprung. This 
legend is re-told from his Old Indian Days. 



GLOSSAEY OF WOEDS 

Note: — The Indian, having no written language, was en- 
tirely dependent upon others for the recording of words; 
consequently, the recorder spelled the words as they sounded 
to him. The following list has, presumably, a phonetic 
spelling and so should be pronounced as spelled — remembering 
that a is pronounced as a in father — and ch as ch in church. 



Spelled Pronounced 

Acoya-napa A coy a-na pa 

Algonquin Al gone kin 

Aliquipiso A li qui pi so 

Arikara Arikara 

Arselik Ar se lik 

Auwasta kena Au was ta ke na 

Caddo Cad do 

Carib Car ib 

Chuqui-llanta Chu qui-llan ta 

Colesick Cole sio 

Colesnass Co les nass 

Coyote Coy ote 

Culloo Cul loo 

Cusi-Coyllur Cu si-Coyl lur 

Dadiha Da di' ha 

Dowanhotaninwin Dow an ho tan in win 

Genetaska Ge ne ta ska 

Huacaquan Huacaquan 

Hyas-Tyee Hyas Tyee 

Hiawatha Hi a wa tha 

Hupa Hupa 

Inca In ca 

Iroquois I ro quah 

Ke'tahks Keetahks 

197 



198 GLOSSARY OF WORDS 

Kienuka Ki en u ka 

Klack-a-mass as spelled 

Klak-lack-hah as spelled 

K'me-wan Ku me wan 

Korobona K,o ro bo na 

Kuloskap or Glooscap 

Laris La ris 

La wis wis as spelled 

Mangtshu Mang tsoo 

Manitto pr Manitou Man it to 

Matsaki Mat sa ki 

Matsoka Mat so ka 

Memelek Mem e lek 

Mitchihant Mit chi-hant 

Nekahni Ne kah ni 

Nipon Ni pon 

Nish Fang as spelled 

Norbis Nor bis 

Norwan Nor wan 

Ollanta 01 lan ta 

Omeemee Omee mee 

Oneida O ni do 

Onondaga On-on-da-ga 

Oochigeaskw Oo chi ge askw 

Oo nah ga mess Oo nah ga mess 

Pachacamac Pa cha ca mac 

Pachacutic Pa cha cu tic 

Passamaquoddy Pas sa ma quod dy 

Peeta Quay Peeta Quay 

Pitu Salla Pi tu Sal la 

Ponka Ponk a 

Pueblo Pu e bio 

Quocamayo Quo ca ma yo 

Sacajawea Sacajawea 

Sahan Sa han 

Sayadio Sa ya di o 

Sanaxet Sa nax et 

Senusoktun Sen u sok tun 

Shawnee Shaw nee 



BO 1 °- 5 



GLOSSARY OF WORDS 

Sioux Soo 

Skamson Skam son 

Taensa or Ten sa 

Team Te am 

Tedewin Ted e win 

Teomul Te o mul 

Tikaens or Ti kens 

Tisseyak Tis se yak 

Tlingit Thling git 

Tootah Tootah 

Wabanaki Wa ba na ki 

Wakontas Wa kon tas 

Wapasha Wa pa sha 

Waru Wa ru 

Winona Wee no nah 

Wintun Win tun 

Wiwil mekw Wee wil mekw 

Xun , Ksun 

Yma Sumac Ee ma Su mae 

Yupanqui Yu pan qui 



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